


The Passage Through Time

by SimoneX



Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow & Related Fandoms
Genre: Agatha Wellbelove Finds Out, Alternate Universe - Canon, An actual attempt at canon-consistent plot, Canon Gay Character, Carry On Big Bang, Dev and Niall aren't around much...just enough to wonder what Baz is up to, Ebb gets to live, Fiona is Smart, First Kiss, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Necromancy, New character introduced: their time-traveling son, Nico is redeemed, POV Alternating, Penny is their surrogate, Soft Boys, Teen Romance, The Mage is NOT a good dad, This is teen but there are some hot scenes...nothing explicit, Time Travel, Two Fathers, Very emotional...feelings shared!, Watford (Simon Snow), When gay vampires conceive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:07:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 48,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26126995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimoneX/pseuds/SimoneX
Summary: This story began with a premise: what if Simon and Baz get together and have a family, but Simon's trauma gets in the way of them being truly happy together?How could that be fixed?Enter their son, Ty. Ty figures out a way to travel back in time, using necromancy, to change some of the events that led to his father Simon's trauma. In the process, he gets to know what his fathers were like when they were young. Through Ty's careful interference (and with the help of Penny, Fiona, and even Nico), Simon realizes his feelings for Baz earlier. Hes also able to see the Mage as he really is BEFORE Ebb is killed. Through teamwork, a different kind of ending emerges for Simon. Lots of romance and excited / flustered boys along the way! Baz is soft for Simon and Simon likes to pounce on Baz. We keep it teen, though!
Relationships: Nicodemus Petty/Fiona Pitch, Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch & Simon Snow, Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Comments: 100
Kudos: 121
Collections: Carry On Big Bang 2020





	1. Can the Past Be Changed?

_ Ty: _

_ They’re fighting again. They have a silencing spell up in their room, so I won’t hear arguments. But my magic reaches past their spells.  _

_ My curiosity doesn’t let them keep secrets from me. As much as it hurts and worries me, sometimes. _

_ Which is funny, really, because the thing that hurts and worries me the most is my  _ dad’s _ hurt and worry. About me. Sometimes it’s so intense… it gets in the way of my living a normal life. _

_ Dad had bad things happen to him, and now he never wants me out of his sight. He loves me so much, he’d do anything for me. And he’s great most of the time… they both are. I have a good life. But I’m fifteen years old now and I should be able to go places. I need space. I need my dad to stop constantly obsessing over my wellbeing. No one wants to hurt me, at Watford or at home. _

_ I need him to be happy. _

_ Our house is only three miles from Watford. I’m home on winter break and all I did was ask them if I could go back to school for a bit, just long enough to get a book out of Mitali’s library. (She’s our headmistress.) But Dad’s face got all weird and he started huffing. Then Ab said, “Let’s go upstairs and discuss it, love,” and Dad looked at him darkly, like he wanted to clock him for saying that. “What’s there to discuss? He’s not going anywhere.”  _

_ At that, Ab kept a calm expression on his face and looked my way. “Why don’t you finish the dishes and give us a minute to discuss this, son?”  _

_ And then they went upstairs to their room. _

_ You would think I had just asked if I could buy weed or get a tattoo or something similarly outrageous.  _

_ All I wanted was a book. So I could read it. _

_ True, we already have books at home, but I’m looking for one in particular. And I know it’s in Mitali’s private library. Her magickal collection at Watford is the best in England. All the magickal books there now are from her own family’s collection, but there’s also books that the former Mage had once kept hidden from students. Those are back on the shelves, and they are all quite good. But the more advanced magickal books are in Mitali’s private library at Watford. And Mitali’s my godmother, so she’s known me my whole life and has always taken a special interest in me.  _

_ When school’s on I talk to her in her office all the time about stuff, including things to do with my dads, magic, or my ideas on life. Any and everything. And she’s just so incredibly cool. She listens to me. She knows I’m strong and that I want to do things. She knows how my dads are, and that I feel held back. Over and over she’s urged me to be patient with my dads and trust that in time I will get to do what I want.  _

_ And meanwhile she lets me borrow books.  _

_ Other students aren’t allowed in her private library. Mitali isn’t just favouring me when she makes an exception for me… she’s trusting me. Her library is full of books about magic, some of them one of a kind, some of them actually magickal (those have special warning stickers on them). The most dangerous ones are behind glass and locked with a key, but I know where the key is and I wouldn’t take one of those without asking her, anyway. _

_ She’s trusting me to take care of her things and follow her rules. And I would never let her down. _

_ The Necromicon isn’t behind glass. It has a “magickal book” warning sticker, but then so does Alice in Wonderland.  _

_ The Necromicon is the book I want to read. _

_ It means “The Book of the Dead”, and I heard about it on the internet. It’s supposed to talk about time travel, and I really, really want to see that book.  _

_ But it doesn’t sound like Dad’s going to let me. _

_ Instead I have to hear him saying shit things about Mitali. _

_ “...All I’m saying is have you ever wondered what kind of books she’s letting him read in that library of hers? Half those books are dangerous for a child… maybe all of them.” _

_ And then Ab’s gentle voice. “Mitali wouldn’t invite our son into danger. She knows what she’s doing. And we keep a pretty tight leash on him, as it is. Are we going to start censoring what he reads, now, as well?” _

_ “I just never gave it much thought before. Now I’m wondering if that’s an oversight. So much hinges on trusting Mitali’s judgement.” _

_ “We chose her as Ty’s godmother, love.” _

_ “I know, but did we really think that through? I mean, sometimes she reminds me so much of the Mage.” _

_ I hear Ab start to protest. _

_ Dad won’t let him speak and continues, “She’s on the Coven, she’s headmistress of the school. She’s taken a special interest in Ty. And Ty is powerful. What if she’s just grooming him for her own ends?” _

_ “That is… that is not a reasonable thing to worry about, Simon. Mitali doesn’t want to hurt Ty. She’s not unhinged or power-hungry, like the Mage was. She wants what’s best for Ty… same as we do.” _

_ “How do you know that? When did you become so trusting? If she’s power-hungry, do you think she’s going to come out and tell us that? Not when she could get to us by influencing Ty. Power corrupts people.” _

_ “Simon, you have to stop thinking like this. It’s… paranoid. It’s unkind. It breaks my heart.” _

_ “I thought you of all people would understand that. The Mage was a father figure to me too. He used me. He killed your mother!” _

_ I think Ab is crying now. “I know, love. What we went through is terrible and should never have happened to us, or any child.” _

_ “I’m sorry, Baz. Come here. I’m sorry.” _

_ “What are you going to say to Mitali when we see her at Christmas?” _

_ “Nothing, love. I don’t really mean it. I don’t really think she’s awful like the Mage was.” _

_ “So what are we going to tell Ty? Can he go pick up a book?” _

_ “The school’s locked up. We don’t have to tell him yes to everything. Besides,” Dad says, “I still feel weird about it. But I’m not going to say anything _ _ upsetting  _ _ to Ty or Mitali, Baz. Promise.”  _

_ So no book for me, I guess. _

_ I’ve heard so many versions of this same argument between my dads over the years. You would think I was made out of glass, and that there was an evil Mage lurking behind every corner.  _

_ Dad loves me very much, I know that. And he always lets me do what I want, as long as I’m in his immediate line of sight. But there’s something frantic and disturbing about Dad.  _

_ For one thing, he thinks everyone is out to get me at school. He keeps reminding me that if another student or a teacher tells me something I’m uncomfortable with — I should tell him straight away and he’ll deal with them. Of course I would never do that, because he would blow everything out of proportion. If something’s bothering me I tell Ab. _

_ Everybody at school knows my Dad has mental problems. They call it “PTSD”. He was the Mage’s Heir when he was a kid, and he did not get a normal upbringing. He was abused, neglected, and in the end, traumatized. But he was a fighter and got out of that situation, and thanks to him the magickal world was saved.  _

_ Now if only he would put his sword down. If only he would relax and let me have a normal life. _

_ Ab had bad things happen to him, too, but he acts like a normal dad. And he’s the vampire.  _

_ Go figure that my most ordinary parent would be the vampire one. _

_ I feel guilty having these thoughts about them. They have always tried to do their best for me. And there’s been lots of good times in our house. My dads definitely love me and each other… I don’t doubt that for an instant. And they’ve raised me as best they can. _

_ My ab went to work for Grandfather even though he doesn’t like accounting or agriculture at all, just so that Dad could stay home with me. (They think I don’t know, but I do.) So I had a stay at home parent who read and played with me all day long. Cuddled with me, read me books, took me to the zoo and the park and anywhere I wanted to go. _

_ But the older I get, the more I need space. And he wants to keep watching over me like I’m seven. So I have one dad who spends all day stressing at home and another who spends all day stressing at work. Why can’t our lives be better than that? _

_ I try to breathe through the stress. Enough of that.  _

_ With or without their permission, I’m going to get that book.  _

_ *********** _

_ Dad comes down later to talk to me.  _

_ “I’m sorry I was kind of stressed and abrupt when you asked me about going back to the school for that book,” he says. _

_ “It’s okay, Dad. I know you worry.” _

_ “I talked it over with your ab and… we want you to go ahead and get the book you want. Basil will drive you there. He’ll be down in a minute.” _

_ I can’t believe it. My magic didn’t let me overhear the part of their conversation where they changed their mind. (I can’t hear things after they calm down). They must have been calm when they reached their decision to let me go get the book. _

_ It makes me reflect on how things might not be as bad between them as it sometimes seems. I’m not hearing any of their good times behind closed doors (which is just as well — kids don’t want to hear their parents’ good times in the bedroom). But if all I’m hearing is the bad stuff, I’m getting a skewed view of things. _

_ They’re not always fighting. These overheard fights are only once every week or two. All the other times it’s peaceful… _

_ All I know for sure is I’m glad they’re letting me go get the book. “Yes, Dad… I’ll go go wait by the car. And thank you for trusting me.” He gives me a fond hug, tussles my hair.  _

_ “You’re a good son, Ty. I love you. I’m just a worrier; you know me. Just want you to be okay.” _

_ “Yes, Dad. Thank you so much.” _

_ I get my shoes and coat on and head toward the door. “Gloves?” Dad asks. “Scarf?” Instead of rolling my eyes or sighing loudly, I just go ahead and get them to put on. There’s no way I’m messing up this opportunity to leave the house. _

  
  


_ ************ _

_ Ab hasn’t been to Mitali’s library before. He has seen some books at her home, but not all. So he ends up walking the aisles, looking at the books while I pocket the one I needed. _

_ “I like it here at the library,” I admit. “It’s mostly empty and peaceful.” _

_ Ab smiles at me, “I know it is, Ty. I felt the same when I was your age.” _

_ “I thought you spent so many hours at the library or the Catacombs pining after Dad,” I retort. We like to joke in our family. And nothing’s off limits. _

_ “You shouldn’t believe everything your dad tells you,” he says. Except he’s laughing so it must be true. _

_ We are there and back with the book in well under two hours. When we return Dad is waiting for us at the door. “Dinner in half an hour,” he says. _

_ “Okay!” I say as I kick out of my shoes and shrug my coat off. I put them off to the side, kiss Dad on the cheek, and then run upstairs.  _

_ There’ll be time for a quick look at the book before dinner. _

_ I lie down on my bed to open it up. First I wipe the dust off with my hand (it’s very old and I don’t think anyone dusts Mitali’s library). I breathe in to inhale its deathly fragrance. I’ve got two days to spend in solitude with this book: the Necromicon. The Book of the Dead. _

_ Crowley, I think, smiling as I crack it open for the first time and take in the calligraphy and scribbles on the old yellow parchment pages.  _

_ It’s not just full of words…there are illustrations, recipes, maps, and mathematical formulas throughout. Most of it looks to be in Latin, which of course I am fluent in (best of my year and at seventh year level), but there are notes in the margins written in Greek (I’m fluent in that, as well, since I speak all the languages my Ab does and the Arabic Nan taught me), Italian and other languages… even English.  _

_ Lots of scholars, some of them probably quite villainous, have pored over this book. I know there’s been a lot of fighting over it, times it went missing, times it was kept hidden by the church. The book has a dark history. And, according to Wikipedia, at least six murders have been committed in its name — people attempting to gain possession of the book or otherwise prevent someone else from having its knowledge. So it’s well wicked. _

_ And now I have it. _

_ I perhaps should feel a little more guilty about that than I do. Dad was nice enough to let me bring something home to read, and this is probably not what he had in mind. He’s trusting me and I’m being a risk-taker. _

_ But it’s just a book, and what’s the harm in reading? At most I’m looking at it with curiosity and good intentions. Any action I take as a result of looking at this book would be aimed at doing something good for people that I love. What bad can come of that? _

_ I don’t start reading any of it until after I finish dinner with Dad and Ab. I want to eat my food quickly but I make sure not to do that. I chew thoroughly, use my manners, and have a good conversation with both of them. They seem relaxed and happy now, talking to me about school and smiling at each other. When I ask to be excused they let me run upstairs to my book.  _

_ They know I’ll be busy with it the rest of the night, so they’ll have the whole rest of the evening to themselves. I tried to leave them in a happy state of mind so there won’t be any fights. _

_ Stopping only occasionally (to stretch, use the loo, or drink some water), I don’t leave the book for a minute on that first night… it’s absolutely riveting. Parts of it are medical, parts of it deal with alchemy… parts of it are openly blasphemous (which is kind of cool, but also makes me shudder, waiting for the lightning to strike me down for reading this bullocks).  _

_ On the second day I come across a chapter on the practical applications of necromancy. This was the part of the book I had heard about… the chapter that drew me to reading it in the first place. So I sit up and read it very carefully.  _

_ About half-way through is this line (in Latin, but translating to approximately this): _

_ “The dead are not bound by thy memory; they crawl backwards or forwards without thy leave, without thy hourglass, without thy ringing bell.  _

_ Death is the opening, pain is the price, and should the two be magically bartered and bound, even death can die.” _

_ Scrawled next to it in English are the lines “Vampires are half-dead. A portal across time? No magic in them though.” _

_ I try to tie the book passage together with the hand-written note, to follow the reasoning of whoever wrote in the margins of the book. The Necromicon is talking about the idea that death can “die”. It’s also talking about death being an “opening”. A portal? The dead can move “backwards and forwards”... in time?  _

_ The note seems to imply that because vampires are “half-dead”, they could function as portals across time… if they were magickal. Well unlike the note maker, I happen to  _ know  _ not one but two magickal vampires: my ab and Nicodemus Petty. _

_ The thing that worries me most about delving into this is the mention of pain. Whose pain? Mine or the vampire’s? If it was just mine, and the pain was temporary, I would still try it. _

_ Who can I ask about all this? _

_ I’ve come to this book looking for something. A solution to the riddle of my family: how to make my fathers more happy. Ab is happy when Dad’s happy. But Dad struggles with relaxing and trusting enough to be happy. He lost the only mother figure he remembers to murder, at the hands of his father figure. And then he was the one who (inadvertently) brought about his father figure’s death.  _

_ It’s just been too much for him to get over. _

_ These things that happened to him are the ghosts that haunt my dad and hold him back. They hold me and Ab back, too. If I could go and change things so that Ebb didn’t die and the Mage came to justice (but without dying at my dad’s hands), all three of our lives would be very different. _

_ Dad and Ab aren’t completely miserable. They have happy times. But the older I get, the more I realize that Dad has more than his share of pain. He’s wounded. Sorry. Lost. Worried about me all the time in a way he wouldn’t be if such awful things hadn’t taken his security away. _

_ If I could change those deaths and save my dad all that pain by just experiencing a little pain of my own... _

_ This is advanced magic. I’m powerful but I don’t know all the tricks and subtleties that an older magician would know. But who can I turn to for help? I obviously can’t ask Ab or Dad… the ones I’m trying to help. They would lock me up in our house, for sure.  _

_ I wonder if I could get Nicodemus to help me. _

_ I’ve never talked to him, never met him before. He’s been kept away from us kids… away from all the respectable magical world, since he Turned. All I know is that once a year he’s allowed back to the grounds of Watford, at a time when none of the students are present. He’s allowed back briefly so he can pay respects to his sister Ebb’s grave. _

_ If I could somehow sneak back to Watford tonight and break through Mitali’s protection spells, there’s a chance I could find Nicodemus. _

_ I resolve to at least try. _

_ I wait till Dad and Ab are upstairs in their chambers. They think I’m still reading the book, so are letting me have quiet and space. (Again, I feel guilty about that. Here they are, finally giving me space, and I’m using it to sneak out of the house). _

_ I sneak through the house. I do  _ not  _ wear my gloves or hat. I justify to myself that until I’m actually face to face with Nicodemus, I can call this simply a “walk”. A walk in the Wavering Woods.  _

_ I pass trees and boulders and bushes. Twigs snap in the woods and I startle. I hear owls and frogs and bats chirping. _

_ I come to the place where the trail splits. One side of the fork leads to Watford; the other side goes to the old goat barn, where Ebb used to live.  _

_ I head toward that way… toward the barn.  _

_ What will Nicodemus look like? Will he be handsome like my father? Will he greet me cautiously or bellow at me when he sees me? _

_ Will I be able to pass under Mitali’s protection barrier undetected? _

_ (I’m walking toward a vampire. She won’t have wanted any students to do that). _

_ It’s weird, because for me walking towards a vampire is not as dreadful as it would be for most people. I mean, one of my dads is a vampire. (And I never think of him as half-dead. He’s just my ab). _

_ Of course, this is different. The old man in the barn… I shouldn’t expect Nicodemus to be like my ab. Unlike my ab, he chose his condition. He sought out the power of it— he wanted to be an uber-mage. (I heard Nan say that, once.) He was stricken from the book and his wand was snapped for crossing over. Still, that doesn’t really mean Nicodemus has done anything bad. If the Coven found out my ab is a vampire they would strike him from the book and snap his wand too. I know Mitali has been trying to reform the Coven. But it hasn’t happened yet.  _

_ Nicodemus wasn’t a villain in my fathers’ stories, not really. And he lost a lot, too. His twin sister, Ebb, was one of the Mage’s most significant victims. And Ebb was like a mother to my dad. Nicodemus must know how much his sister loved my father. _

_ Another point in his favor is that Mitali thinks enough of him, thinks him safe enough, to allow him to come to Watford once a year. And he’s been doing that for years, now, quietly and without incident. _

_ I stop and think. (How many times over the years have my dads urged me to stop and think? They’ve got it ingrained into my head. Need to cross a road? Stop and think. Want to chase your friend in the pool room, run across the wet tile? Stop and think. Want to ask your dads to go to the movies with a bloke you just met. They will ask what I know about him).  _

_ Stop and think. _

_ This barn is protected. Or rather, I’m protected… Mitali has made it so that none of the students cross paths with Nico while he’s here for his annual visit. _

_ And I don’t know much about the spell (or spells) she’s used. But I know that when I want something — really want something — I get to have it (if my mind is open, my intentions pure, and I am feeling loving kindness for myself and others).  _

_ This is because I am powerful but also because my ab taught me how to meditate.  _

_ So I walk with slow deliberation toward the barn, breathing in and out. I hear birds, my footsteps crunching down evenly into the pine needles. I feel a breeze against my face. I smell grass and damp earth. _

_ I want to talk to Nico, as I heard Nan call him. _

_ Ten feet away from the barn I hit a barrier… a spell. It tries to send me back; I can almost feel it nudge me back and spin me around. I breathe, relax, and spin back around to the direction I want to go.  _

_ I step forward, my magic overpowering the spell  _

_ Now I can talk to Nicodemus. _

_ I feel very still and ready. I knock on his door. _

_ There’s silence, and a shuffling inside. I see the curtains of a window beside the door move slightly. The door opens. _

_ Standing before me is a middle-aged man with a very dull gray pallor and thin wisps of blonde hair trailing across his shoulders (some of it has turned white). He has haunted pale eyes, a hooked nose, and an expressionless face. He looks at me, up and down, and says nothing. _

_ I swallow before quickly blurting out, “Nicodemus Petty?” _

_ “What are you doing here? The school is closed for the break,” he says in a less than friendly tone. I think he might be scared. _

_ “Are you Nicodemus Petty, sir?” I’m nothing if not polite. Ab made sure I know to treat everyone with respect, especially the elderly, which this man clearly is. He’s Nan’s age, I think. (Nan only mentioned him once and that was just something I overheard.) _

_ “Who’s asking?,” he answers carefully.  _

_ “My name is Tyrannus Pitch, sir. My parents are— ” _

_ “I know very well who your parents are. Do they even know you’re here?” He asks me and looks as though he is very close to shutting the door in my face. _

_ “Not exactly.” I can’t lie to a vampire; he can hear my heartbeat. (That’s how my ab always catches me in a lie, not that I often try to deceive my parents. But I tried to sneak out once in the evening from Watford to go to the movies.) “I need to speak to you, it’s… well it’s very important.” _

_ “What do you want?” _

_ “Could I… could I come in?” Even though there shouldn’t be anyone around, I’m still worried someone could see us or overhear this conversation. What if a tree nymph hears us and tattles to my fathers?  _

_ “I’m not supposed to be talking to the students. I think you better go back, young man.” _

_ “It’s about… your sister. Ebb.” _

_ His face turns dark. “I am not here to provide fodder for dares and foolish tale-telling. You best go home now. I can’t guarantee your safe return if you’re here in this woods after dark, where you’ve no business. There’s creatures of the night that will steal you away.” _

_ “Sir, I’m not here to fool around. I’ll be direct,” I promise him. And even though I didn’t intend to be so open, it seems I have no choice. “I’m reading a book on necromancy, and it is my intention to go back in time and reverse certain events. One of those events is the death of your sister.” _

_ He’s silent, before laughing bitterly. “You think I haven’t thought of that?” _

_ “Maybe you didn’t have the Book of the Dead. I do,” I declare and try not to be smug about it. It was brilliant though that I found it. _

_ “It takes more than just magic and spells to bring back the dead. It takes pain. And blood,” he says it like a warning. Except I am not afraid. _

_ “I’ll give it.” _

_ He huffs at me then all of a sudden, “No. Not yours. Yours would be useless.” _

_ “Then how can I…?” _

_ Nicodemus looks me over carefully, before stepping aside and motioning with his arm to invite me inside the cottage. _

_ “Come in. Let’s talk,” he says. I step forward into the darkness of a moldy old room. A small potbelly stove is spitting warmth underneath a cast iron pot, but there is no chimney connected to the stove…the whole scene looks very improbable. There are two dusty wooden benches by the stove. I sit on one, he on the other. _

_ “Why don’t you tell me exactly why and what you are trying to do,” he finally tells me. _


	2. A Dangerous Meeting With Dad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ty has made it to the past and meets his fathers... but they don't know who he is, yet. Penny convinces them to help him and keep him hidden in their room.

BAZ

I’m back from supper. So is Snow. He’s sitting on his bed, watching me. I pretend not to notice while I read a book at my desk. He's always watching me. (Our truce hasn’t changed that.) It's infuriating because I so wish he did it for different reasons. I wish he would love me back. That will never happen. 

I want to turn around and say something along the lines: "Enjoying the view?" or "Like what you see?". I don't, of course. I could never do that. He would probably punch me if I said that and our truce would be over in an instant. And let’s not forget about the Anathema. I wouldn’t want him to get kicked out because of my love.

Snow doesn't like me. Well no, that’s not it —  _ he  _ hates  _ me _ . 

I suppose it’s my own fault. For years I kept tormenting him, hexing him, loving him from afar yet being so close. Snow doesn't know about that last part. He will  _ never _ know.

I hate him being so close but I also want him even closer. I want him... 

I wish it was already late evening and we could go to bed. Then after Snow falls asleep I could watch him sleep for a while. That's my favorite time of the day. Those few moments when I let myself look at him, to get my fill of him, without worrying how it seems.

His unruly bronze curls, the constellation of freckles and moles on his tawny skin. He’s so infuriatingly beautiful. I want to look at him right now. I won't. 

Simon bloody Snow. 

I hate how much I love him. I hate how it's killing me.

I hate him. Well, no. I don't actually hate him. I hate  _ myself _ . He will never love me. I’m a monster and dead (technically half-dead) while he's alive and beautiful. There’s nothing to love in me. Sometimes I wish I never survived. That I never....

A bright light explodes in the room. At first I think it's Snow. That he went off without any provocation. (It could happen — he’s that angry most of the time.) 

However, I would have smelled that — I always smell his magic leaking, even when he doesn't go off. And then the smell is so strong that everyone notices it. Me especially.

That's when I see a person — a young boy. He’s much younger than us, at least by three years, maybe more. Still, the child might be almost as tall as me, despite his young age. He has good posture and is dressed casual yet stylish — black jeans and a deep violet jumper, all complementing his colouring. 

He’s wearing heavy suede boots and a beautiful woollen coat of charcoal grey, a dark scarf wrapped around his neck. 

The child looks very tidy and put together, however, his outdoor clothing doesn’t match the weather at all.

His black curly hair is neatly tied on the back of his head. At least one of his parents must have impeccable taste and passed it down to their son. 

I’m still growing out my hair. During school I always gel it back to try and annoy Snow with my vampiric vibe. He’s easy to rile up and I need some entertainment while slowly languishing for him...

Snow has already drawn his sword. I really hope he isn't going to chop him right here in our room. The boy hasn't even done anything. Besides, he’s just a child. That wouldn’t be polite. Not that Snow has ever bothered with politeness...

“Good evening?” the boy says as he looks around. “Or is it early morning?”

“Who are you?” Snow screams, already fuming with fear and anger.

The boy seems to have gotten his composure back a bit. “Hello. Nice to meet you. I’m Ty and I’m from the future,” he states, very calmly. That’s good manners, despite an obviously stressful situation. Time travel would explain his winter clothing. I wonder what time he comes from, exactly...

“Why are you here?” Snow asks, still pointing the sword at the child. 

The boy — Ty, is looking at the sword but doesn’t seem scared. He should be — Snow is no stranger to chopping heads off innocent creatures. However, the boy is human, so hopefully Snow won’t kill him  _ yet _ .

I don’t say anything, of course. If I say Ty is human, Snow will think it’s a ruse on my part and just end up killing the poor child faster. (The best help I can give him is my silence.)

The boy throws a few curious glances my way. Perhaps he thinks I can protect him. I can’t — not against Snow. (No one could protect him against Snow.)

“I came here to change the future,” he states, as if it’s the most reasonable and obvious thing in the world. He straightens up even more and looks almost proud. 

To tell you the truth I like this boy right from the start. He doesn’t let himself get scared by a drawn blade and he speaks in a very rational manner, while maintaining a polite tone. He’s obviously well raised.

“Why did you come to us?” Snow asks and keeps clutching the shaft of the sword. (I don’t think Ty is out of the woods yet. He probably doesn’t realize that.)

At that question the boy gets nervous. I hear his heartbeat raising and becoming uneven.  _ Interesting _ . I think he’s about to lie…

“Because Aunt Penelope told me to. She said I need your help,” he says, and while it’s not a lie it isn’t exactly the whole truth, either…

“Why should we trust you?”

“I have a video on my mobile with a message from her,” he says and shows a mobile he’s been holding on to.

Simon looks down at it and Ty adds with a smirk, “I really hope it still works in these barbaric times.” There’s something about the way he says it that’s familiar. I can't really put my finger on what’s familiar about it…

“Mobiles aren’t allowed here. How could you even get it inside?”

“Aunt Penelope magicked it for me. She knows the spell for it because her mum created it for her mobile so she can have it at Watford her eighth year. Her mum is very smart,” Ty says proudly.

“We don’t have anyone named Penelope who’s harbouring illegal goods here,” Snow says and not for the first time I wonder how he can be this  _ thick _ . 

How is he not getting it yet? Bunce is obviously Ty’s aunt. 

I’m not surprised she has a mobile at school. Bunce is too brilliant to let herself get brainwashed. Snow on the other hand is a gullible moron . 

They don’t look particularly similar — Bunce and Ty — except for their complexions, and even there Ty has a stark reddish gold tone. It reminds me of something, not sure what exactly… He’s also covered in freckles and has sapphire blue eyes. I’d say it’s quite a unique combination. I wonder whose child he is. Bunce has four siblings. I’ve only seen her older brother and he doesn’t strike me as the kind of good looking lad to father this child. 

“Oh…” he says, a bit deflated. “Can I still show you the video?”

“Yeah, alright,” Snow huffs. He’s curious.

We can clearly see Penelope Bunce on the screen, even if she’s aged by at least twenty years.

“Simon, this is Ty — my godson and my favourite nephew.” She chuckles at that part as if that’s supposed to be a joke… What’s the joke? Seems odd… 

My aunt uses that same phrase. She calls me her “favourite nephew” and it’s quite funny because I’m her only nephew, but I also know it’s true because no one cares about me as much as Fiona does.

“He needs your help to change the future and save an innocent life. Please do whatever you can to help. But Simon you can’t tell anyone at school about Ty. No one can know, except for me and Basil — your roommate. You can’t even tell the Mage, Simon. You need to make younger me promise not to tell anyone. I trust you with this and I know you would never betray me, Simon.” 

And the plot is thickening. Apparently I’m allowed to know about this — whatever this is… but not the Mage...

Bunce is quiet for a moment before she adds, “Good luck to all of you.”

“What is this?” Snow asks Ty, while almost waving his sword. His tone is so forceful and abrupt that even Snow must realize how rude he sounds.

Ty looks even more deflated than earlier. “It’s a message from my aunt Penelope,” he states the obvious, still utterly polite. Snow’s behaviour doesn’t deserve any politeness. 

“Why are we not allowed to tell the Mage about this?” He presses, getting angrier.

I hear Ty’s heart rate changing.

“I’m not entirely sure.” That’s another half truth. Ty doesn’t want us to know what happens in the future. That much is clear. 

“You have to tell us everything you know,” Snow's voice starts to raise.

”I’m sorry but I’m not supposed to do that,” Ty answers.

”Why the hell not? Who told you not to tell us? Who’s responsible for this?” Snow’s almost shouting now.

I know Ty is upset, even though he still maintains a polite tone. I can hear his heartbeat and I can see small changes in his facial expression. 

”Aunt Penelope said I shouldn’t tell anything.”

”I doubt that very much. Penny and I have a no secrets pact. You’re lying,” Snow all but spits out.

It’s time for me to leave before I do some irreparable damage.

“I will go get Bunce,” I offer since I don’t want to listen to Snow anymore. He isn’t being nice to the boy and if I hear one more rudeness coming out of his mouth — I might just snap. That won’t be doing this child any favours. 

* * *

As soon as I get back with Bunce, Snow immediately accosts her with accusations.

"Penny, do you really have a mobile here? How could you? You know that it's not allowed."

"Simon, I'm not going to fight with you over a mobile,”  Bunce argues back . ”It doesn’t hurt anyone."

"But the Mage says— "

“ _ Simon _ .” 

Snow is so stubborn. He would never disappoint the Mage.

I wonder how Snow will react. I wonder if he will let this go. He never goes against the Mage.

"Why?"

"Do you trust me Simon?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then, please, Simon, do as the future me says. Promise me you will do this."

Snow looks very flustered. This is just hilarious. The inner struggle is uncanny. Eventually he looks defeated, though.

"Yeah. Fine. I promise. I won’t tell the Mage,” he says, obviously reluctant. 

_ Huh… _ Snow is choosing Bunce over the Mage. That is surprising. I mean, I know he cares about Bunce. I think she is his only real friend. Those two have been thick as thieves since the first year.

For a while I was worried they might get together, but they never did. I don't think there is any of that kind of spark between them. It's almost as if they are more like a brother and sister who really love each other. Or maybe it’s more like Bunce is his mother. Sometimes it feels more like that.

“Good,” Bunce says and turns to Ty.

“You must be Ty and I will be your aunt?”

“Yes,” the boy answers with the brightest smile and hugs her.

Snow the moron almost gets his sword out again.

“Penny, he says we’re not allowed to know what happens in the future. He says you told him not to tell me,” Snow whines.

“It makes perfect sense,” Bunce answers, clearly unbothered by Snow’s antics.

“What? Why?”

“It can be dangerous for the timeline, Simon. It might do irreparable damage,” Bunce states, and she is right, of course. If we know too much about the future we might alter our behavior in ways that hurt more than help. Ty is here to save a life. However, if he tells us too much — other lives might be lost. What if his parents never meet because of an accidental change we make? The future Penelope Bunce probably has thought about that. I doubt Ty himself realizes it yet.

“Oh… I didn’t think about that,” Snow caves. 

Of course he didn’t. Snow’s thinking capacity usually consists of determining who he should strike next with his sword. As if that is the answer to all problems. I’m not saying that Simon is stupid — he isn’t, not at all. However, he’s had that sword since he was 11 years old. By now it’s become his standard answer to most problems — kill first, ask questions never.

That’s what he will do to me after whatever it is Ty needs help with is solved and our truce is over. Snow is going to kill me, and oddly enough I think I’ve made my peace with that. Life is too short to dwell on the “what ifs”. I take the time I have left and enjoy it. 

“Now show me the recording. I only heard about it from Basil. I want to see it too,” Bunce says and takes Ty’s hand. She’s already warmed up to the boy, I see. And so have I, which frankly makes very little sense. It usually takes a long time for me to let people in. But there’s something about this child… 

Perhaps I just want to protect him because he accidently stumbled onto Snow in this adventure he’s on. Anyone in close proximity to Snow needs protection sooner or later. It’s too late for me, but the child still has a chance to get away from all of this unscathed.

  
  
  



	3. Simon Finds Out Baz is Gay and Has a Minor Aneurism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz learn that Ty has two dads. Baz wonders if HE could possibly be Ty's father. And Simon learns Baz is gay, so the wheels in his head start turning...

Chapter 3  
Simon Finds Out Baz is Gay and Has a Minor Aneurism

Simon:

Penny and Ty sit side by side on the edge of my bed, watching the video of her “future self” (if that’s who it really is… I’m not convinced of that yet) telling me to trust Ty and help him. The video is short and leaves quite a bit (conveniently?) unexplained, but when it’s done she’s quiet. Is she frowning slightly? I get excited because I know her… she’s noticed something “off”. I think to myself “Aha! Here’s the part where Penny sees through the trap.” I clutch at my sword, ready to attack something.

But then all she does is sigh “I can’t believe I would magick my hair green. What am I trying to prove at that age? That's not cool.”

That’s her big problem with all this? Who cares about hair? 

Unless it's Baz’s hair, that is. And only because it's too perfect and thinking about it makes me mad. 

“You’re very cool, Aunt Penny,” Ty tells her and smiles. 

I don’t like his familiarity with her. He continues, “You always go on the most incredible adventures. When you come back you have the most amazing stories to tell. I said you’ll never get old because you’re having too much fun.”

The git makes Penny laugh. 

With that, she gets up and walks over to the window. She’s thinking. She spins around with her hands clutched behind her back, like a TV attorney carefully quizzing a witness. “What do you need from us, Ty?”

He answers cautiously. “I’m not sure… It’s hard to say what will be the best course of actions.”

“No, Ty,” Penny interrupts him, “I meant how can we help you practically? Do you have a place to stay? Does anyone except us know that you’re here?”

He looks a bit embarrassed, “No, I thought… that I’d be staying here.”

“Out of the question, ” I tell him just as Penny says, “Of course, you’ll be staying here, you can stay hidden here.”

Penny smiles at him and he smiles back… overly friendly. Penny is my friend, not his. 

“Are you hungry?” She asks.

“I am,” he answers.

I find myself nodding, at that last part. Food is definitely a consideration.

Baz pulls out a key from a pocket in the lining of his jacket. “I have a key to the kitchen.”

“What??” I say. “How do you rate having that-?”

“Cook Pritchard gave it to me,” he states, as if it’s obvious. He adds, “She likes me.”

“I thought she liked me,” I say. “I saved her from a kitchen skink!”

“Yes, well, she likes me for who I am.”

Yeah, for being a posh plotting vampire? I want to add, but don’t. We’re on a truce and I don’t want to antagonise him.

Instead I ask, “And why haven’t you told me? Don’t you know how hungry I get?”

He raises an eyebrow at me. “I didn’t know we were telling each other everything, Snow. And perhaps if you were a little more civil you would hear more interesting things like this from me.”

“Hmmph.”

He hands the key to Penny but looks at them both while speaking. “Why don’t you and Ty go down to the kitchen? Snow and I will figure out a sleeping arrangement.”

“That’s not going to take any figuring, Baz,” I say, firmly. “He’s sleeping on the floor.”

I can’t help notice how Ty’s face gets a little pale when I say that. “The floor?” He squeaks.

Baz is looking at him in a way I don’t understand. Is he as shocked as I am? My mouth has fallen open a bit. Somehow this prat Ty has gone from humbly hoping that I don’t kill him to practically announcing his sleeping preferences.

“Don’t worry, Ty. You can take my bed,” he offers.

“What the hell, Baz.” I try to object, not sure why.

He looks at me then and sneers: “Children shouldn't be sleeping on the floor.”

First of all, I’ve slept in worse places and I came out just fine. 

“Fine,” I concede and glare at Baz. Why does he always have to be so difficult?

“Penny, get him some soap from the storage maybe when you’re out?” Baz thinks of everything.

The little git wrinkles his nose, “School issued soap?”

“Yeah, that’s what we all use here,” I say firmly, knowing full well that’s not what Baz uses but trying to back Baz up. Maybe he wants to keep his fancy products to himself. I know I don’t dare touch them.

“You can use my soap and shampoo, Ty.”

What is going on here.

“Baz, what’s the matter with you?? We don’t even know Ty… why are you giving him everything he wants?”

“Have you ever heard of hospitality, Snow?”

“All I know is I’m your roommate and have known you for more than 7 years and you have never once shared soap with me.”

“I didn’t know you felt that as a loss, Snow. If you want to use my soap and shampoo, just ask. Do you think I’m a mind reader?”

“So I could take a shower tonight and pour your posh shampoo all over my head and that would be fine with you?” I’m pretty sure I sound like a manic idiot, at this point.

“If it’ll get you to drop this and stop acting like such a twat, then — yes.”

There’s an uncomfortable silence. Ty breaks it by asking meekly, “Not to be a bother, but what about lotion? Is there lotion I can use? My dads say it’s very important to moisturize every night.” He looks at me when he says this. “Both my dads.”

As if that gives it more authority.

I don’t know what he means by that, but I do know he just said “dads”... as in plural. “Your Dads?” I ask.

“Who are they? Your dads?” I ask him. They must have gone to Watford. But the only gay couple I know of is Trixie and Keris.

I’m just curious. But he looks at Penny with a pleading look in his eyes. Why wouldn't he want to tell? 

Penny gently rests a hand under his elbow and guides him to the door. “We can talk details after we get Ty something to eat.”

“Are you using an invisibility spell on him, Bunce?” Baz asks.

“On both of us,” she replies; Baz nods briskly, before turning to me. He waits for them to slip out the door before saying, “I’ll put a bedroll here for myself.”

I’m glad for the chance to confront Baz directly. “Why are you being so nice to him, Baz? You’re treating him like a dainty flower.”

Baz shrugs. “I can tell he has breeding, Snow. And we’re not animals here.”

“But you’re a posh git, too. You like everything to be clean and smell good. Now you’re willing to sleep on the floor?”

“I can spell our floor clean and I’ll conjure up a very comfortable magickal bedroll for myself, right here,” he says, motioning to the floor space between our two beds.

My eyes narrow. Right there? What’s he up to? If he does that, Baz will be sleeping even closer to me than before. Is he trying to make it easier to sneak over and attack me as I’m sleeping? But he can’t do that… the Anathema. Huh.

Well, at any rate, I’m not sleeping on the floor, so that’s good.

Ty:

Aunt Penny spells us invisible and guides me through a hall and down a staircase before unlocking a pair of doors leading to the kitchen. The lights are off, but after a bit my eyes adjust to the darkness and I can make out the outlines of a sink, stove, tables and chairs… this is definitely a kitchen with an eating area.

We walk over to the refrigerator, and Aunt Penny opens it wide. I stare at all the wonderful food choices there. I look over at her and I can see by the light of the fridge that she has a twinkle in her eyes. “What would you like? Take anything.”

For now I grab a pudding and sit down on a nearby chair. I magic up my own spoon (“No wand? Impressive.”) and look up at her gratefully. She’s so reassuring, even when she’s barely older than me. No wonder my dad listens to everything she says.

“Why don’t you tell me what you really need from us, Ty,” she says softly.

I’m glad she asked me this a second time, away from my dads. They’re not ready to hear the full answer, yet. I look into her eyes and answer truthfully. “I won’t know exactly what to do until I’ve stayed with them awhile. I need to watch them and see… where they’re at.”

“You mean, with each other?”

“Yes.”

“Well, as you heard they’re on a truce now, but it’s only just started and it’s still kind of fragile. I wouldn’t call it a ‘friendship’ quite yet.”

I sigh. “Aunt Penny. I’m going to tell you something, but they’re not ready to hear it yet. I want us to tell them both, but we need to do it when they can handle it. The older you thinks that they might not be able to hear it at the same time. That maybe my abba— Baz— will have to hear it first.” I take a big breath before continuing. “There needs to be more than friendship between them, for me to be born.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“They’re both my dads.”

Penny’s eyes are wide and she’s shaking her head. “Nicks and Slick.”

“Believe it or not, Aunt Penny, if nothing happens and I don’t screw this up, those two are going to fall in love and get married. And I’ll be their kid.”

“But why come here now? Why change any of that?”

“I don’t want to change that part. They’re great dads; I love them. But there are things that need to change so they can both be happier than they end up. In the next few months things happen that scar my dad Simon for the rest of his life. Bad things. People die. He can’t get over it and it makes him so unhappy. And that makes Abba unhappy.”

“That’s the part I want to change.”

“Do you want to be the one to tell them, Ty?”

“It wouldn’t have to be me. What’s important is the moment. You have to be sure that it’s the right thing to say in that moment.”

“Okay, Ty.”

Baz:

When Ty and Penny come back from the kitchen, they are both pretty quiet, but there seems to be some kind of understanding between them, now.

“So Ty’s in your bed tonight, Baz?” Penny asks.

I answer. “I changed the sheets for him. I’ll be nearby, on the floor.”

“Thanks, Ab— Baz,” Ty replies. He’s looking at me and he seems to be really grateful. I can’t help but smile. 

Snow looks impatient. “Let’s hear more about this future you come from.” Ty smiles at him, too, but is obviously a little disoriented by Simon’s directness and return to an aggressive line of questioning. Once again Penny intervenes. “Ty, I think Baz has some clothes for you to sleep in there,” She motions to a pile of folded clothes I have sitting on my bed. I nod. “Why don’t you go take a shower and get comfortable? Then we can decide how much, if any, we need to talk tonight. It’s getting late.”

Ty’s got sleepy eyes… Bunce is very astute. Simon sputters a little in frustration, but stays quiet and doesn’t argue with any of Penny’s suggestions. Ty takes my clothes (he’s about my size, maybe a little thinner) and heads off toward the shower. An idea is starting to formulate in my mind about Ty.

He looks so familiar. He looks like me. He acts like me.

“Did you find out anything more about him, Penny?” Simon asks.

“A few things. The important part is that I believe his story and that we have to help him. People’s lives and happiness depend on it.”

“Why did he come to us, Penny? Why not to an adult, like the Mage?”

“Well, like I said, Simon, he needs our help.”

An idea is forming in my head, but I don’t say it out loud. He looks like me. Could he be my son?

But I’m gay, so that doesn’t make sense. How would I end up with a son?

But I have this feeling in my heart about it that is growing.

I suspect he’s mine.

Bunce continues. “We have to be so careful, guys,” she says, before adding, “We have to help Ty change what needs to be changed, without changing the things that lead to him being born. I don’t think he fully understands the danger to himself, or he wouldn’t have come here. If we screw up he might not be born. At all.”

Simon is shaking his head, though. “What I don’t understand is how Ty has two dads. How can that be? Is he adopted?”

“Not necessarily, Snow,” I answer. “One of his dads could be the biological father. They may have used artificial insemination and a surrogate. Gay men can father children.”

“Oh, shove off, Baz. What are you, some kind of gay parenting expert, now?” Snow says in an attempt to dismiss me.

“I imagine I know more than you on the topic, Snow. Seeing as I’m gay.”

Simon:

We’re all lying in bed now. Ty asleep in Baz’s bed as Baz lies quietly on the floor. I know Baz is awake. I am too, obviously… tossing and turning with a million different thoughts running through my mind.

First off, Baz is gay. 

Why did he spend so much time flirting with Agatha? Just to torment me?

It bothers me to think about Baz being gay, but not because I’m homophobic. I think it bothers me because the idea of Baz being with another bloke makes me… jealous. Even more than the idea of him being with Agatha. 

I mean, he and I finally have this truce going — the two of us. We’re finally working together on stuff and I can relax and let my guard down in the room, a little. Now I have to mentally add a bloke he might be dating into our partnership?

I want the other guys to bugger off.

Merlin, it’s not Niall, is it? (I hope it’s not Niall).

Not that I know for sure if Baz is dating or not. I always worried he might have a secret girlfriend. Now I have to worry if he has a secret boyfriend. 

I’m confused and frustrated and maybe a little worried. My magic is starting to sizzle, and I know Baz smells it. I crack an eye open to peek at him as he lies on the floor beside me. It looks like he might be sleeping after all… until his eyes suddenly open.

Baz sees me looking at him. Shit.

But instead of being angry, instead of either of us looking away, we keep looking at each other a while. Long enough for me to feel my face flush. Baz looks like he wants to say something, but then he sighs and rolls away so I can’t see his face anymore.

I roll over and do the same, but my mind’s still racing.

I don't want him to have a boyfriend. I'm not sure why.

“Snow,” Baz says softly, rolling over again and interrupting my thoughts. “My being gay needn’t affect you one bit.”

“Of course it doesn’t affect me,” I sputter.

I see him frown in the dark. “Well what is it, then? This time travelling boy we’re going to help?” 

I latch onto that as a possible reason for why I’m stewing and leaking magic all over him. “It just doesn’t sit right with me, why we can’t tell the Mage.”

“I’m sure we’ll find out more from Penny, later. She’s had time alone with Ty and knows how to ask questions. Just let it go for tonight so you can fall asleep. He’s asleep… you may as well be, too.”

“Yeah. Alright. But Baz,” I say.

“What?”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

He says nothing. I think he’s blushing. 

Crowley.

“No,” he says, slowly.

“Well that’s good. You and I have some serious work to do, finding your mother’s killer and now helping this Ty. You don’t have time for stuff like that.”

“Uh… okay,” he coughs. “Good talk, Snow. Now go to sleep. We’ll figure out more things tomorrow.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baz finds out that he is Ty's father-- that he and Simon will both be the parents of Ty. Baz can hardly believe it. Are the wildest dreams of his heart coming true?

Simon:

When I wake up the next day, Baz’s bedroll is gone and he’s sitting by Ty on his bed. They’re both dressed and the bed is made. Baz’s showing him something on a mobile.

Crowley. How many illegal mobiles are there in this school?

I sigh, and they look up. “I was showing Ty some pictures of my family,” Baz explains.

Well isn’t that friendly? Baz never showed me his family pictures. 

Ty is still looking at me. “Are you still going to class today?” he asks.

“‘S planning on it. Why? Aren’t you going, Baz?”

“Oh yes… I don’t think we should alter our routines at all. Might look suspicious. We can meet Bunce at breakfast.”

I glance at the clock. I still have time to shower.

I go to the ensuite for a shower, and make sure to help myself to Baz’s shampoo and soap. Because, that’s what we’re doing now, right? 

When I come out I realize I haven’t brought a change of clothes with me. I wrap a towel around my waist after I’ve dried off and head out in a cloud of steam to my closet. I feel Baz and Ty’s eyes upon me when I come out, and frankly it’s a little creepy. But how’s a guy supposed to remember things like clothes and normal behavior now that we’re in a time travel shit-show and Baz is gay?

“You’ve always had strong arms, haven’t you… Simon?” Ty comes right out and says.

I huff. “In this century we don’t comment on other blokes’ physical appearance when they’re wearing nothing but a towel.”

Ty laughs. “Sorry… wasn’t trying to be rude. It’s just that my dads never worry about stuff like that. We talk about things… we walk around in towels. It’s okay.”

The reference to Ty’s gay dads, combined with my new knowledge that Baz is gay, has me imagining, at this moment, an older version of Baz walking around in a towel in front of his family. Wouldn’t that be cozy? 

Might be I look at Baz. Baz blushes, but his eyes are kind of glazed over. I suddenly wonder if my walking around in a towel has any particular meaning for him. 

But I have my clothes picked out now, so I don’t have time to figure this conversation out. I go back to the loo to change.

When I come out they’re still sitting on the bed, looking at the phone. “Want us to bring you back some breakfast?” I ask.

Ty looks at me gratefully. “YES,” he says. 

Baz gets up. It’s kind of exciting, because he’s never willingly gone to breakfast with me before. “We’ll be back soon,” I say, clearing my throat and trying to look serious.

Penny’s there in the dining hall, waiting for us. “Did you find out any more from Ty this morning?”

“No, though maybe Baz did… he was looking at pictures on his mobile with Ty when I woke up. About that, Penny. Am I the only one around here who doesn’t have a mobile at school?”

“Probably, Si. That’s what you get for having the Mage as your guardian.”

Baz is sitting at his usual place with Dev and Niall, I suppose because he doesn’t want anything to look suspicious.

I wonder if they know he’s gay.

I grab extra food for Ty, wrapping it in napkins and putting it in my rucksack. Then I sit down by Penny to talk.

“So I’m confused as hell about all this, Penny,” I say.

“Which part? The time travelling visitor or Baz being gay?”

“It’s all weird. It’s much easier fighting magickal creatures with the Sword of Mages than sorting through this.”

“Well let’s start with what should be the easy part. How do you feel about Baz being gay?”

“I mean, it’s not strange… I’ve never seen him give attention to a girl, unless you count Agatha. And now I think he was just doing that to bug me.”

“It did bug you, didn’t it?”

“Well yes, obviously.”

“So now that you know that all of that was a crock you can relax and be relieved, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so. In theory.” I pause. “So why don’t I feel relieved, then?”

“You’re just used to fighting all the time so letting your guard down feels weird. But Baz is no longer your romantic rival for Agatha, so relax and get used to it.”

“Guess I’m not being properly happy about that, am I? Crowley. What’s happening to my priorities?”

“Sometimes I question how much you really like Agatha.”

“Seeing as she’s the only girl I’ve ever dated, you should probably take her more seriously,” I point out.

“Okay, point taken. But enough about Agatha. After class today let’s meet back in your room. Maybe I can conjure up the invisibility spell again so we can show Ty around Watford. And then see what more we can find out from him.”

“That sounds good. I’ll tell him the plan when I bring up this food.”

“Okay, Si. See you later.”

Baz:

I have an idea. I need to get back to the room before Simon does. I need to talk to Ty first, without Simon there.

I enter the room. Ty is sitting with his back to me, headphones on. I’m moving with my vampire stealth, and he doesn’t hear me. “Ty,” I say softly. (He doesn’t hear that). 

I say it again. “Ty.”

This time I call in a slightly louder voice, “Tyrannus.”

He looks up, smiling. “Oh, hi, Ab- Baz.”

He doesn’t seem to find it strange that I’ve just called him “Tyrannus.”

“Is that your full name? Tyrannus?” I ask him.

He looks at me, then nods.

Ty:

It’s weird talking to my abba when he looks so young. He doesn’t have any worry lines on his face and he looks so much like me, now. 

He doesn’t say anything at first, when I admit my full name is Tyrannus.

I try a subject change.

“I’m glad you showed me those pictures of your family. It makes me feel less lonely to be here. They all seem so nice.”

That gets him smiling softly at me. “They can be, but they can also be incredible pains in the butt. Ty, can I ask you some things? Before Simon gets back?”

“Yes, but some of what you ask me I may not be able to answer.”

“Okay.” He looks away and frowns, like he’s trying to arrange the questions in his head. It must be a lot, to think of what to ask first.

“How is it that you have two fathers? Is there a mother, that you know of?”

“I have two fathers because of magic. One of my dads is really powerful and he did something to make it possible. I really don’t know the whole logistics of the thing. Apparently it happened in a bedroom,” I say, and Abba kind of blushes but nods. “As far as the mother, Aunt Penny was a surrogate for my dads. She carried me until I was ready to be born. But I was raised with her being my “aunt”, not my mother. So I really don’t feel like I have a mother. I have two dads.”

Abba lets out a slow, deep breath. “So you biologically have two fathers? Through magic? That’s incredible.”

“It is. We don’t know of any other cases like this. But my dad is powerful and he loves my Abba very much.”

“You know, Ty, that makes me feel hopeful. You don’t know what that means to me. I’m gay, you see. And I never thought I would have a son… not only because of that. There are other reasons, too. But the idea that, at least in theory, this could happen for me someday…”.

I think this is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

The right moment to tell Abba who I really am.

“Baz,” I say, my voice shaking, “Abba. You’re my father.”

“I… what? I’m your father?”

“Yes.”

He looks like his mind is spinning. “Do I somehow become powerful enough someday to make that happen-? How?”

“No, not you, Abba. My other dad.”

“Ty,” he says, “can you tell me? Who your other dad is?”

“You already know him.”

“It’s Simon, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Abba.”

He looks like he’s in a daze. I don’t blame him. The way Dad is now it’s probably hard for Abba to imagine him being his husband.

“Ty,” he says. “You don’t know what this means to me. I’m so proud to hear you’ll be my son… that you are my son. But it’s crazy imagining Simon will want to be with me someday.”

“He will, and sooner than you think.”

“It doesn’t even seem like he’s gay, right now.”

“He probably doesn’t realize it yet.”

“Wow.”

He’s quiet a minute, looking down and shaking his head. “And Bunce. She’s amazing. She just does that for us? Carries the baby and then steps aside so you can be truly ours?”

“Well, she carries me and has me, but she doesn’t completely step aside. She stays in the picture and becomes my most excellent aunt.”

“I love her, then.”

“We all do,” I say, smiling. Pleased.

“Abba,” I add. “Can I hug you? It’s kind of scary to be here in the past.”

He leans forward and hugs me. It’s a little awkward (he gets better at hugging, as the years go by).

And then Dad comes through the door. I think he sees us hug… and he looks kind of fierce. But his jacket pockets and hands are full of scones and other food, wrapped up in napkins. “How’d you beat me up here, Baz?”

“Dev and Niall aren’t as good conversationalists as Penny is, apparently.”

I look at the food Dad has spread out on his desk. “The Watford cherry scones, vintage style. Can’t wait to taste them,” I say.

“So you hear about them in the future?” Dad (Simon) asks.

“Oh yes, they’re legendary in my house.”

“And you know to butter them heavily?”

“Yes, I’m taught that. It has to be butter, not margarine, though, because margarine is too artificial.”

“Well, then. I’m glad you have someone with sense guiding you in the future.” He looks at Abba meaningfully, as if he hopes he’s listening. Young Abba must not approve of so much butter… 

I eat carefully, and with manners, but I eat A LOT. It feels like young Abba and Dad approve as they watch me finish up.

“So Simon and I better head to class, Ty,” Abba says.

“Oh! Yeah. I was supposed to tell you. When we’re done with class Penny wants us to meet back here and figure out a plan for the rest of the day. She talked about doing the invisibility spell again and showing Ty around campus,” Dad explains to Abba.

“Yes!” I cry. I want to see everything.”

“Well then, that’s the plan,” Abba says. 

Baz:

The past 24 hours are almost more than I can take in. The sudden introduction of this boy, Ty; the fact that he comes from the future and that he needs our help; the secrecy from the Mage and this alliance between Snow, Bunce, and myself. 

And most amazing of all finding out that Simon and I will be together someday… and that Ty will be our son.

Ours. Both of ours.

How is it that Simon starts liking me? How is it that we finally come together and produce this miracle?

Coming together would be a miracle, in and of itself. I just can’t picture Simon ever being tender with me… fancying me.

And I never thought I’d be able to have a son. Truly, I’m too young to have given it much thought yet or even lamented the fact that my vampiric state should mean sterility. But it’s just been one of those “facts of life” that I’ve had to accept, just like draining rats and having to slow down my speed and strength on the football pitch.

But now I know that somehow, across space and time, I overcome that obstacle… and that I manage to do it without a wife in tow. I get to have Simon at my side.

I’ve been in love with Simon since I was fifteen years old… maybe longer. And it had always seemed so impossible. The idea that somewhere, underneath all that bluster and wildness, is a lover… a lover for me… wow. Can I really think about being with Snow?

Kissing him? Touching him?

If I did it right now, what would he do? What will it take for him to realize his feelings for me?

I don’t think Snow knows what’s in his own head, but I know what’s in mine. I want to fast-forward to the part where Simon Snow loves me. 

But I better consult with Bunce, first. I won’t risk doing anything that might disturb the timeline in such a way that Ty’s birth is threatened.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon learns Baz’s feelings for him... and reciprocates 😍

TPTT, Chapter 5

Baz: 

It’s hard to concentrate in class when I know I’m going to be a father. When I am a father.

And when I know the boy across the room who usually scowls at me is going to be my husband someday.

I’m more resolved than ever to talk to Bunce. She had time alone with Ty and he told me himself that his “Aunt Penny” already knows about the real relationship between him, me, and Simon. 

I need her to help me figure out when and how to tell Simon the truth about any of this.

Before I get to look for her, Dev and Niall approach me right after class as I am about to walk out.

“Are we going to the library today to study this afternoon?” Niall asks me.

“Sorry, I have some personal business to attend.”

They both give me an odd look. ”Alright, then we’ll see you tomorrow.” We don't have any lessons together today. 

”Very well, see you tomorrow.”

As I leave I realize that perhaps I was acting a bit off. In truth, all I can think about at the moment is Ty being my son and Simon being someone I will end up with in the future. 

Right now I need to speak to Bunce.

I’m able to track her down after Political Science. I see her at her locker and get her to follow me down a corridor and into the stairwell.

“I know Ty’s my son,” I say. “I know Simon’s his father, too.”

“Does Simon know any of that yet?”

“No, that’s what I want to talk to you about. When will it be safe for him to know it?”

She frowns. She’s thinking. “I don’t think Simon could handle learning everything at once. I think he needs to learn it in parts.”

“But which part first?”

“Maybe if we let him know Ty is your son, first? We could start there.”

“He knows I’m gay now, though. Will he believe it when I turn out to be somebody’s father?”

“He adjusted to the idea of Ty being from the future faster than I thought he would. I think if I explain it to him, and explain there was a surrogate, he’d understand.”

“But not let him know he’s the other father yet?”

“That’s the part that’s going to explode his brain. That and finding out that you and him… get together someday.”

“I can still hardly believe that myself.”

“But you do, somewhat?”

“Oh, yes. I believe it. I’ve known I was gay and cared about him for awhile, now.”

“Well you sure haven’t acted like it.”

“Of course not,” I say. “How can I, when Snow’s always on the verge of pulling his sword on me? He hates me.”

“Obviously it’s not really hate,” Penny says, thoughtfully. “You know… Simon being Simon, once he realizes he has feelings for you, I bet he makes a move immediately. He’s not one to pause and overthink things…”.

“Like I do,” I say, finishing her sentence. I sigh. “Alright, well today after class, when we show Ty around, I want you to help me tell Simon that I’m Ty’s father.”

“Okay. That should be interesting.”

“Do you think there’s a danger in doing that? I mean, with the timeline and all. Do you think we’re safe to assume that Simon knowing I’m Ty’s father will not be the thing that sets him off in the wrong direction and ruins Ty’s chances of being born?”

She thinks about it before stating decisively, “It’s not going to happen like that.” She sounds almost confident. “He’s been obsessed with you for so long, I think HE’S going to start obsessing about who the other dad is. And I think he’s going to realize that he wants it to be him. The jealous streak in Simon is strong.”

“Well, I guess we have no choice. If we wait for everything to play out naturally, all that bad stuff that Ty’s warned us about is going to happen to Simon. And hurt our future happiness.”

“Yes,” Penny says. “That’s the whole point. We have to do things differently.”

Simon:

After class and dinner (I fill my pockets up with more food for Ty), we all meet upstairs in our room. Penny’s already there (I still have no idea how Penny is able to cross over into the boy’s wing. Baz doesn’t know how she does it, either).

I can tell Ty is hungry, but he eats so slowly and with such good manners you’d never know it. When he’s finished we get up and wait for Penny to spell him invisible, so we can take him around Watford, like we talked about.

Penny points her ring at Ty and murmurs the incantation. He fades till he’s barely visible to us.

“I can still see him,” I point out.

“That’s because you know where to look. No one else will see him.”

“Okay, then. Let’s go.” I say.

I’m glad Baz and I have been on this truce for awhile, because otherwise it would look strange for us to be walking around together. But people have seen me, Baz, and Penny walk around the grounds together after class for a few weeks now. It shouldn’t strike anyone as odd that we’re doing that now (as long as Ty really is as invisible as Penny insists he is).

Ty:

They show me all around the grounds. So much of it looks like it does today (I mean, in the future, where I’m from). But things are different, too. 

The goat barn is very different. It’s warm and cozy and lived in, in a way it no longer is by the time I visit Nicodemus. It’s alive with Ebb’s spirit and energy. The walls inside are freshly white-washed, and there are all kinds of good smells from cooking. 

Ebb herself is so lovely and warm. Dad relaxes almost immediately, when he sees her. I can tell how much he loves her. And she has a twinkle in her eye for him (it reminds me of the twinkle Aunt Penny gets when she talks to me).

Unconditional love, warmth, and acceptance.

That kind of thing must feel really good to Dad, coming from care homes and considering how the Mage treats him (Sternly, aloofly. Not like a real loving father).

“Who’ve you brought along with you today?” she asks calmly, as if she can see me right away.

Aunt Penny and Abba seem surprised, but Dad is not. “Knew that wouldn’t work on you, Ebb.”

“His name is Ty and he’s a visitor from the future,” Penny decides to answer.

“Oh, really? Well how wonderful. I’m pleased to meet you, Ty. My name’s Ebb.”

“I’m so pleased to meet you, ma’am,” I say, bobbing my head as politely as I can.

She looks so nice. I try to imagine her as the twin sister of the grizzled old vampire who helped bring me here, but then I remind myself that, in this time period, he probably looks different, too. And she has not been turned, of course. But she has blonde hair that’s thick and pulled back in a hastily done braid, wisps of it loose and flying about her face. She doesn’t wear any make up and her skin is quite tan. She looks strong, capable, and steady. But she has a quiet way about her. Like she’s not quite a people person.

“How is it you were able to travel through time?” Ebb asks.

“I had help from someone you know.” I answer.

She looks at me curiously. “Really? Tell me who.”

I don’t know if it will disturb her to hear it, but it feels like she has the right to know. “Your brother Nico.”

She breathes in sharply, and her eyes widen. “Nicky? You know him? You were allowed to speak to him? He lives on in the future?” Suddenly her eyes are filling with tears, and I’m so sorry I ever said anything.

(My dads and Penny look confused for a moment. Dad is about to speak, but aunt Penny must have noticed how heartbroken Ebb looks and stops him.)

“Is he alright?” she asks. 

“He never stops thinking of you, ever. He loves you and regrets... what he did. That’s why he helped me.”

“You better not tell any more, Ty,” Penny says, softly.

Ebb nods like she understands and withdraws. She sniffles a little, and Dad wordlessly puts his arm around her shoulder, glaring at me like I better not say any more. 

Ebb shrugs Dad’s arm off and smiles up at him, patting his cheek. She stops trying to talk, and instead starts making tea. In a few minutes she has a far-away look in her eye and is softly humming. The storm has passed and now she’s fetching the scones.

No wonder Dad thinks so much of her. I know from the stories that Dad wasn’t much of a talker either, when he was young… people hadn’t given him enough attention to practice speaking back and forth, so he had delayed speech and a hard time putting his thoughts into words. Her silence and her way of just getting out there doing things, letting him tag along, must have been a great comfort to him.

I’m sorry I made her sad, but it was so good to meet her. I understand immediately why it’s important to interrupt and stop the sudden violent killing of this wonderful woman.

It will happen in front of my dad and break his heart if we don’t do something.

Baz:

After leaving Ebb’s we walk back across the lawn toward Mummer’s. We’re all feeling relaxed (or so I think).

On impulse I kindle a small ball of flame in the palm of my hand, (well...not on — above) and toss it to Ty. It doesn’t surprise him at all; he grins, “catches” it, and tosses it back (maybe this is a father-son thing we do in the future; I don’t know).

So we start doing this thing as we walk. And I suppose if anyone saw it and couldn’t see Ty, they would think I was somehow bouncing the flame back and forth to myself. 

But the third time Ty tosses the flame back to me, Snow steps forward and intercepts it with his hand, throwing it down to the ground and extinguishing it under his foot. (Ty’s mouth falls open.)   
Then Simon hisses at me, “What in Merlin’s name do you think you’re doing, Baz? Do you want everyone to see him? Do you want to catch yourself on fire? Maybe if you could stop your god damn urge to flirt for one fucking minute with a teenager nonetheless, until we could all get ourselves inside…”.

“What? No— that’s not flirting… Aleister Crowley, have you gone completely mental?”

“Whatever, Baz. You flirted with Agatha every chance you got and now that I know you’re gay you’re going to flirt with this fourteen year old boy right in front of me. Real nice; real classy. It’s fucking disgusting.”

He’s jealous, but I feel sick. He said all this in front of Ty, and it sounds like homophobia. (Nevermind that Ty is our child — Simon’s and mine and how that factor makes Ty feel to listen to this.)

But before I can say a word to set things right, Ty interrupts.

“Stop trying to hurt him! Stop thinking the worst of him. I hate it when you get crazy and cruel with him… I hate it,” Ty shouts. 

I know Simon is stunned. He has no idea what Ty is talking about, because he doesn’t realize Ty already knows him from the future (this is apparently an example of what Ty’s come back to fix). But for Simon this must seem like it’s coming out of nowhere.

“You what?” Simon asks, addressing Ty angrily. “First off, you don’t know anything about me, and the shit this git has tried to pull over the years. What do you know about my life? Your nice shampoo-sharer Baz tried to kill me fifth year,” he spits out.

“Nothing could kill you and he knew that. He wanted you gone for a few weeks to get some peace and quiet because you were stalking him, actually stalking him. How aren’t you getting any of this yourself? You are a smart person, for Crowley’s sake.”

“Where are you getting this crap-? You can’t possibly have any idea what you’re talking about,” Simon says incredulously to Ty and adds venomously. ”He’s evil, he’s a monster—”

“He’s my father,” Ty blurts out. But now, having said it, Ty looks terrified.

All of this has happened so fast, Penny and I can only stand there, stunned as Ty and Simon stare at each other. 

Well, now Simon knows that I’m Ty’s father, though he doesn’t know that he is also Ty’s father. That’s the first step Penny and I had talked about (of course this is not how we wanted the discussion to go).

Suddenly Ty runs off, back toward the white chapel. I give Simon a fierce look because I don’t want him to chase Ty and continue the fight, but then I immediately regret it because Simon’s face just kind of crumples.

I want to straighten things out with him, I don’t want him to think I’m choosing Ty over him in this “fight”, but there’s no time for that. 

And I am choosing Ty in a way. He’s my son, he’s hurt right now. And Simon has been behaving terribly. I’m used to that, I expect that, I don’t even believe that I deserve better, not really.

Ty, however, is a child, our child. I’ll protect him no matter what. 

We can’t lose track of Ty. I follow him, and leave Penny to deal with the aftermath of Simon’s shock.

Simon:

Ty is Baz’s son.

They were tossing the ball of fire together because they are father and son, and I perceived it in a totally wrong and disgusting way. I've never had someone I could toss a ball with. I have no parents, no one who cares… 

Ty has and I behaved terribly...

I’m so ashamed of myself.

Of course Baz ran after Ty. I’m guessing they have a lot to talk about... 

Baz will have a child with someone, somehow. And he will raise that child with another man. And that child will think I’m a dolt because now he’s met me and I just insulted his dad right in front of him.

I wonder if I know the other father. I haven't seen Baz date anyone, but maybe they are keeping it a secret. Maybe it’s someone he meets in the catacombs.

“So Baz already knew that Ty was his son? And that he’s going to be one of the happily married two dads?”

“He found that out very recently. We were going to tell you about it tonight.”

“Oh. Guess I kind of botched that up, didn’t I?”

“It was a mistake. We didn’t anticipate you getting jealous of Ty.”

“I am such a git.” I pause before adding, "So does he go to Watford?"

"Does who go to Watford?"

"The bloke Baz is going to marry. The other father to Ty." I clarify and my stomach drops at saying that out loud… I’m not sure why I care about this so much.

"Yes, he does."

"Do I know him?"

"Yes, you do." 

"Who is he then?"

Penny looks at me with a very strange expression.

"I don't think it's my place to tell."

"Was Baz happy about it, do you know?" 

"Basil was very happy it was that person. He just had difficulties believing it, that's all."

So they aren’t together yet. It must be someone he already likes a lot who doesn't like him back. I wonder who it could be? Also, who would not like Baz? He is so fit and smart and just perfect at everything. 

"Has Ty told you when they get together?"

"Eighth year."

"How long did he like that bloke?"

"Almost since the beginning of school."

That is really long to like somebody who doesn't like you back. I wonder how he could manage to wait that long? How do you survive watching someone every day, knowing you want them, but they don't want you back? That’s terrible. I wouldn't wish that on anybody. 

Maybe that’s why Baz seems like he is constantly in a bad mood. I’ve never noticed him liking anyone, but then I only found out recently that he was gay. I haven’t been scrutinizing his conversations with other guys. I mean, I should have noticed, anyway — I’m his roommate and I have been following him everywhere. But I can’t guess who he might like.

I really want to know who it is. What kind of a moron would not like Baz back, immediately? I wonder what this guy looks like. Is he as fit as Baz? He must be. Baz would only like the best looking bloke at school. 

"Penny?"

"Yes, Simon?"

"Who do you think is the best looking bloke at our school?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well that would be the one Baz likes."

"I'm not telling you who Baz likes, Simon. You can ask him yourself."

"Yeah, right. Like he would ever tell me. I think it’s maybe that tall tosser with black hair, that looks a bit like Baz on the football team. Maybe.. I mean he is fit. I don't think he is that fit. But who else could it be? He is very arrogant, and a real arsehole. I do think that could be Baz's type, at least personality wise. Not sure if he is fit enough though."

"I couldn't agree more, Simon. It definitely sounds like Baz’s type."

"So it's him then?"

"I did not say that, Simon."

"Penny, come on. I won’t say anything to that git, I promise. I’m just curious who Baz fancies. Like what kind of person would he like?"

"Shouldn’t you be wondering what kind of person would like Baz, instead?"

"No, why should I? Anyone would like Baz. That's a given."

Oh no, did I just say, out loud? Now Penny will think I like Baz. And I don't. 

I mean... I do think he’s fit and he's so perfect it makes me mad. And his eyes become the most wonderful shade of grey when light from the lamp hits them just right. And his hair looks so nice when it falls on his forehead and he tucks the strands back behind his ear. I wish I could tuck his hair behind his ear.

And how his lean muscles flex when he plays football. And when he’s sleeping — he looks so peaceful, so dreamlike. 

Also when he plays his violin — it sounds so beautiful and sad. I don't want him to be sad. What am I doing? Why is Penny quiet? Why is she looking at me? Does she know what I’m thinking?

"I agree, Simon. I think any bloke would be lucky to have Baz."

Yes. Well it doesn’t really matter what I think. And it's not like he likes me. He would never like me. Why should he? He’s special and extraordinary in every way. The only extraordinary thing about me is my magic. And I can't even properly use that. I should stop thinking about Baz. He likes somebody else. 

Penelope:

So we’re back in the room… all four of us. Baz found Ty and talked him into coming back. Simon apologized to Ty and even to Baz. Both of them nodded and looked at him quietly and sadly. But now here we are, and no one knows what else to say.

Bloody Simon. He can be so thick sometimes. But he seems very dissatisfied with what’s going on… certainly not angry anymore. And he keeps peeking at Baz. Maybe this can still work itself out on it's own... with just a little push.

Basil gave me a look when he sat down next to Simon on his own bed. I wonder if Simon realizes he’s sitting on Baz's bed right now?

I really need to get Simon to realize his feelings for Baz a little more before I drop the bomb.

I turn my gaze to Basil.

"So Simon here thinks that and I quote ‘very arrogant, and a real arsehole’ is your type."

Simon, who had started glumly eating a sandwich left over from dinner, almost choked on it and is now coughing very loudly. Baz just looks at me without saying a word.

"I for one could not agree more. That would be so your type, Basil. Who do we know that could definitely be considered both and really fit. Simon thought that was a given." I continue because I need to go headstrong on this.

Simon is flushing and flusters all at once.

"Penny!" He yells. “I just tried to apologize to them and now you’re telling them more shit I said.”

Basil remains quiet. 

Baz:

Why is Snow blushing? Or is he flustered? I usually don't tell the difference. Is it the coughing?

Bunce is having a bit too much fun with this, if you ask me. Why is she starting this conversation so soon? (And does Snow really think all that-? If so that’s kind of funny and ironic…).

Penelope had wanted to ease Snow into this.

But how is this easing him into it? With passive-aggressive stabs at him? He might go off if she keeps pushing him. I try to glare at her. She pretends not to notice.

"Really fit, very arrogant and a real arsehole. How many guys like that do we actually have at Watford? Any ideas?"

Penelope:

I’m just having a bit of fun. This is also a little payback for all the times Simon made me listen tirelessly to him talking about Basil, day in and day out.

"Well I for one can only think of one person who fits that category. How about you Simon? You thought maybe it could be that tall bloke with black hair from the team."

Simon looks mortified. Baz is surprised. So surprised he actually looks at Simon and speaks.

"You think he’s fit?" 

Merlin and Morgana. He sounds jealous. Really, Basil? Teenage boys are stupid.

Simon flushes again.

"No. That was not what I said. I said he is arrogant and an arsehole but... not that fit."

Simon:

Why is Penny doing this to me? I am not telling Penny anything anymore. She turned out to be a real traitor. I don't want Baz to know how I feel. Because I do feel things for him now that I thought about it. And that's not good and he should never know. I will play it cool.

"Baz, come on, tell us about the bloke you like?" I say. Like I can handle it. Like I’m just curious.

Penny cuts in. "Loves actually, isn't that right Basil? ‘The love of his life’ is actually a better description." 

The love of his life? That's... Oh... I’m not sure what I feel hearing that. Happy for Baz I guess, but somehow sad too... It's bittersweet, not going to lie...

Then I think back to what Penny said and I feel a bit annoyed why I am the only one out of the loop.

"Ty told you that first night?"

"No. I guessed right. On the first try actually."

On the first try? So it has to be someone that obvious? I honestly have no idea who that can be.

"Really? Can I try? I am not sure I would guess on the first try, though."

"I think that is a very good idea. And Basil, just so you know. This particular person likes you already, he just keeps it to himself and mostly from himself for that matter. He is very smart but can be really thick when it comes to certain things." 

"He sounds like a moron." I say. Because suddenly thinking about the love of Baz’s life walking around Watford makes me really mad.

Penny agrees: "Oh sometimes he is the biggest moron there is."

"How about this? Basil can tell you things about him and you will try and guess who he is? I will take Ty to the kitchen while you figure all this out."

Baz looks and... I don't know how he looks. Strange is the best word to describe how he looks. And he is so quiet. He is usually not that quiet.

"Alright. We will see you later."

She casts "Nothing to hear here" before they leave.

"Just in case."  
— — — — — — — — — 

I feel very nervous and almost nauseated from stress but I can't let Baz see that. He can never know that I have feelings for him. Because I do. Thinking about the future and a child, Baz’s child, and Baz having feelings for some other bloke makes me angry. I’m both furious and heartbroken.

"So tell me all about this arrogant prick you're in love with, yeah?"

Baz looks shocked. I shouldn’t have said that, it came off as disrespectful. I can be a real arsehole sometimes. I didn't want to be mean to Baz. It's not his fault that I have feelings for him. I mean it is his fault for being this perfect, beautiful, smart and Baz, but he doesn't know how I feel. I hardly knew before now. I mean I knew on some level, I just tried very hard not to think about it.

Baz:  
Crowley. Is Snow jealous? Ty said he already liked me, but I wasn’t sure whether I really believed it or not.

Simon:  
I shouldn’t hurt Baz’s feelings by insulting the love of his life. I need to make this right. I need to say something nice to him.

"Sorry, Baz. I... I didn't mean it like that. It was supposed to be a joke. It…” I have no idea what I'm saying anymore. “It came out wrong. I’m bad at jokes... sometimes.. I think... Just... Um- Sorry…” I apologize again and hope he'll forgive me. “I’m sure he is not a prick. He has to be someone great if you love him." And unfortunately I believe that myself. Baz would never love someone who’s not worthy of him.

Baz:  
Snow is stammering. He only ever does that when we're fighting. But we aren’t fighting now. Is this how he is when he’s simply nervous? Does it mean that he’s always nervous around me? How did I not notice that before? Crowley. Am I thick? Or am I just imagining things?

"It's alright, Snow. Sometimes I’d get so mad I would call him a prick myself,” I try to reassure him. “But no, you are correct, he’s not really a prick. He’s someone great. He is the best person I’ve ever met."

Snow tries to smile, but it comes out a little weird and sad. I have to do this right. I have to tell him how I feel. I want it to come from me. I won't be a coward.

"He seems like my own personal sun. I feel warm when I’m around him. I burn when I come too close. And I always come too close.”

I take a deep breath and continue, “I spent years thinking he hates me. I wanted to hate him back,” I admit even though it pains me. “I tried to make him hate me. I never thought he would or even could love me.”

Honesty might be freeing. But it's terrifying and hard as well. Nevertheless, I am going to tell Simon everything. 

“Even now, I’m not really sure I believe it. He is too good for me and I will never be good enough," I finally confess and my throat feels tight. 

Simon:

I can see tears in Baz’s eyes. This whole situation must really hurt him a lot. How can Baz think these things, though? He’s bloody perfect. Does he have low self-esteem? Is this bloke responsible for that? Did he make Baz think that he wasn’t good enough? I don't like that. I never want him to think that. Before I even know what I’m doing I’m holding his hand and trying to talk him out of his anxiety.

Baz:  
I might be crying. Simon just moved closer and took my hand. I let him and I don't pull away.

"Baz. You are good enough for anyone. In fact nobody is good enough for you,” he argues as if this was a fight, “You’re beautiful and smart and perfect at everything you do. Of course he loves you, he can't just not feel that when it comes to you.”

My undead heart skips a beat. I want to say something. I don't get the chance because Simon continues, “So, please, stop thinking like that. Just... Tell me more about him instead, yeah?"

I’m holding Simon’s hand but I don't look at him. I look at my knees instead. I can't say what I need to say to him while looking into his eyes, but I have to say it.

"He’s very brave and honest and kind. He’s not always kind, he usually is, just almost never to me,” I feel bad for saying that so I add, “But I never treat him well either. In fact I go out of my way to treat him badly. Because sometimes I really hate him for how much I love him. But I don't really hate him at all.”

I swallow and say what's in my heart, “I’m in love with him.”

I can hear Simon’s heart pumping blood faster than usual. I want to tell Simon it's him. But I need to tell him more. So he'll know. 

And so I keep going, “His smile is the real magic, the kind that matters to me the most. He never smiles at me. But I've seen him smile at other people,” I don't add how it always hurt me before, “I think that smile could melt an iceberg, or put a forest on fire. It's the most precious and powerful thing I’ve ever seen. I would have done anything for that smile.”

I'm still not looking at Simon, still crying. But I am speaking. And he is listening, quietly. His hand moves in soothing circles on my knuckles. It helps ground me.

“He’s exceedingly clumsy at least half of the time. Like an elephant in a china shop. But it’s adorable on him. Everything is.”

I never thought the day would come. I have more to tell him. I can't stop myself. 

“He is the most beautiful person I have ever seen. He shines like the sun with tawny skin and hair that's golden in the sunlight, like the sun itself. And sometimes late in the afternoon, it looks like fire.”

His breathing is uneven and his hand falters on mine for a moment. I squeeze it lightly. 

Simon knows. But I won't stop. I owe him this much, after years of animosity. I want him to know.

“He has blue eyes. They are an ordinary blue, not cornflower or navy. But they are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.”

I start tracing patterns on his hand, on every freckle as I speak, “And he has the most breathtaking constellation of freckles and moles scattered on his skin. I’m guessing all over his body, but I haven’t seen much of it,” I feel slightly embarrassed after saying that.

But Simon laces our fingers together and it feels better.

I'm going to tell him one last thing.

“He’s beautiful and it hurts to look at him. He’s everything I ever wanted and never thought I could have."

I’m done talking. Simon is still holding my hand but he’s quiet. Did he get it? Surely he gets it?

"Baz?"

I swallow because I’m nervous.

"Yes, Snow?"

"This bloke... He.. He didn't already graduate or transfer... or maybe was an exchange student like Penny's boyfriend Micah?"

"No, he is not," I answer slowly, my hand trembling.

"Does he... Does he go to Watford at the moment?"

"He does," I say and it comes out like a whisper. 

"Baz?"

"Snow?"

"Can you look at me?"

"I can." I answer but I'm still not looking at him.

Simon exhales loudly.

"Will you look at me?" he asks.

I do just that — look up at him. My heart is beating too fast. I feel all the blood go to my cheeks and tips of my ears. I, unfortunately fed on more than a few rats around supper.

Simon locks eyes with me. I don't know what I was expecting. But he doesn't look angry or sad. He just looks soft. 

I don't want to look bored because this is probably one of the most important moments in my life. I want him to know that I meant all I said. I try to look soft, maybe I just look strange. I don't know. 

"Is it me?" he finally asks, his cheeks are a deep shade of scarlet. 

I can see in his eyes that he already knows. Simon is simply asking for confirmation. I still want him to understand, truly understand.

"Yes, Simon, it is you. It's only ever been you, from the moment we met." 

Simon put his hand on my cheek.

"I don't know how to say this properly because I’m not good with words. And... I have never said something like this before... ” he says and I hear his heart rate skyrocket. “I don't know if you’ll believe me.. because- because of you know…” I think Wellbelove is what he means by "you know". 

”But it's the same for me, Baz. It's only ever been you..." he finally says.

I do believe him, but not because it makes sense, since surely it doesn't. And not because I’ve stopped worrying that this is just an elaborate hallucination my brain cooked up. Because that’s still a distinct possibility. 

But I do believe him. Snow doesn’t lie. Still, I can't actually respond to this. I don't think there are more words left in me. I smile at him, a small smile. And he smiles back. That smile that I spent nights obsessing over, wishing I could be on the receiving end of it. It takes my breath away. 

“So Ty is ours?” he asks with a smile just as bright, almost in disbelief. I understand how he feels. I felt the same when I first found out.

“He is,” I say, happy to finally be able to tell him and for it being true. Simon seems so too.

“Yours and mine?” Is he trying to reassure himself?

“Yes,” I might be reassuring us both because it’s been hard to believe any of it to be true.

“Makes sense if you really think about it,” Simon says with a laugh and squeezes my hand. He looks happy, really happy.

“Why’s that?” I ask.

Simon chuckles, “Because he’s a menace, like us. He’s better than us though. He’s a better version of us.”

“I think so, yes,” I tell him, because I do. Ty is kind and loyal and bullheaded and too preoccupied with books and precision for his own good. But he’s absolutely perfect. Maybe it’s because he’s ours that I feel it so. Does it really matter? “He’s perfect,” I add.

Simon gives me an odd look. “Just like his father,” he says and before I can think too much about which father he meant, Simon leans in and gives me a hug — a real one, the kind one gives to someone he cares about; the kind I’ve only ever seen him giving Bunce.

Tears of joy are prickling in my eyes. I melt into him and let myself enjoy the sensation of being hugged by Simon Snow. However, my brain isn’t going to let me have this and I start wondering if the hug is perhaps exactly the kind he’s reserved for Bunce, if this is his way of showing that whatever we have is platonic. And I’ll still take it — I’ll take anything he gives me and be more than grateful; it's more than I ever thought we would have.

But to my utter surprise, Snow turns his head just a bit and our faces are touching, our lips are almost touching, I see a question in his eyes. Whatever he was looking for he must have found it because he kisses me. My brain stops thinking about anything else but this.

Simon Snow is kissing me.

I kiss him back. My eyes close of their own accord. I’ve never kissed anyone before, because I only ever wanted to kiss him. I’m not really sure what to do. I let him lead. His lips are so warm, soft and hard all at once, they are perfect. Is this a good kiss? I don't know. But for me, it’s the perfect kiss because it's with Simon. 

I never want it to end.

When I feel his tongue against my lips, I open my mouth and pray that my fangs won't drop or that I'll Turn him with all my saliva. 

They don't and I let my tongue touch his. I think Snow likes it. He slides his fingers through my hair, and makes a fist. It makes me moan from pleasure.

Suddenly his lips are gone and I think perhaps I've done something wrong but then I feel him kissing my jaw and then my neck. Snow is sucking on my neck and it feels so good.

Aleister Crowley. I’m living a charmed life.

I’m moaning too loud. Thank magic for the silencing spell. Otherwise the whole building would hear me. 

Simon's lips find mine again. He’s pushing against me, I push back. His mouth is so hot against mine, I feel like I’m burning in the best kind of way. (It feels so good.) One of my hands is around his neck and the other is in his hair. (I’m tugging at his hair; I can't stop myself.)

I think Simon must like it a lot because he starts to moan in my mouth now. And then he wraps his arms around my waist and drags me down towards himself. 

That’s when I lose any semblance of self control. I wind my fingers tighter in his hair. It's thicker than mine, and curlier, and it shines golden in the light. There's a mole on his cheek that I've wanted to kiss since I was 12. I do. And I keep going, kissing every single freckle and mole on his face before moving down to his neck. I can feel his pulse. He suddenly looks like something I want to eat. I recoil and try to lift myself up.

Snow opens his eyes and looks at me in confusion.

"Simon... I'm.. I'm afraid I'll bite you..." 

Well there you have it, I think. Snow will change his mind, he’ll throw me off of himself in disgust. He won't want anything to do with me after this. As I’m trying to get up Snow tightens his hold on my waist and holds me in place.

"Do you want to bite me?"

"No, of course not."

"Then you won't bite. I trust you."

Simon reaches up for my face and kisses me. My undead heart melts at that. Simon trusts me. I’m never going to betray his trust. I won't bite. I will never hurt him. Instead I kiss him back fiercely. He drags me down and this time he is leading my mouth to his neck. I kiss every single mole I can find. 

There is one behind his ear. I kiss it and lick it as well and Snow gasps. I love that sound. I want to hear it again. So I keep licking his neck. His moans and gasps are the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard in my entire life. 

He is holding me tight around my back and his other hand is in my hair, pulling. It feels amazing. I start sucking on his neck. Simon's hands are tight in my hair, "Christ... Baz..." 

He must really like it. Snow only swears like a Normal when his emotions are over the top. I’m usually the one to cause that but never in a good way, never from pleasure. 

I never want to stop. I keep sucking and kissing his perfect tawny skin. 

Simon is gasping and I can hardly stand it. I want to do everything with him. I don't want to abandon his neck, however, I need to kiss him. I bring my lips to his and kiss him long and hard. His tongue is in my mouth and I keep losing control. I don't want to ever stop kissing him.

I do though. I have to say it before I lose all my courage. I pull away just enough to see his face. When Simon opens his eyes, I tell him.

"I love you, Simon."

And suddenly I’m regretting what I've just done. It's too soon, he’s not ready. He likes me, he doesn't love me yet. I’m not sure what I was thinking. The best case scenario is what, him saying "thank you" and "wait for me to feel the same"? Why am I this stupid?

Instead Simon kisses me very softly and says,"I love you too, Baz." 

Then he continues, "I never thought I would have any kind of future. I didn't think I would live long enough for that. Future was for other people, not me.” 

My heart breaks to hear him say that. 

“It just never occurred to me that there was a life for me after school, a real end game,” he utters those words with a bitter sigh and pauses. 

“But now I know that I can have all of it. A real future and you and a family with you,” Simon gifts me with the most beautiful smile. “It's all I can think about."

"Simon... I never thought I would survive. I definitely never thought that you and I were even a slight possibility,” I admit. 

”My wildest fantasies consisted of me kissing you once just before you killed me. That was my end game, ” I see him wince at that. But I didn't mean it as an accusation. 

I take Simon’s hand and squeeze it before continuing, “And now there are no words to explain what it all means to me, to have you as my future, having a family of our own.”

We both smile at the word and I go on. 

“That is the most wonderful dream I would never have dared to conjure up myself. I still can't believe it's true.”

Simon deserves the truth. “I still feel like I will wake up tomorrow morning and all this will be a dream. Because how can this be real? How can you want me? How can you want a family with me? I’m a monster."

Simon cups my face.

"You’re not a monster, Baz. What you are is a bully, and a snob and a complete asshole. And I love you, both despite and because of that, I think,” he chuckles. “It's somewhat confusing. I should be surprised here, not you. I’m nothing special. I have my magic that hardly ever works, and that's it. There is nothing about me that is worth loving. I have nothing to offer you."

Simon can't actually think that? Really? How is he this thick? 

"You have nothing to offer? Simon. You have everything to offer to me. You always had,” I whisper and kiss his cheek. ”You already gave me so much just by existing. I was eleven years old, and I'd lost my mother, and my soul, and the Crucible gave me you."

"It made us roommates," he says.

"We were always more than that. You became the center of my universe," I say. "Everything else spun around you." 

"Because of my magic."

"Not to me. Looking at you was like looking directly into the sun and it has nothing to do with your magic. I wanted Simon Snow the boy, not Simon Snow the "Chosen One",” I tell him so he'll know and never would doubt it.

“I’m not blind. I see how they all look at you, how every single one of them wants to be your best friend because of your magic. I wanted you despite that.”

It's difficult to put my feelings into words. Simon isn't the only one struggling. So I try to explain better, “Not despite, that's not it. What I’m trying to say is that you are the greatest mage that ever lived. Nothing can touch you, nothing except for the Humdrum.”

That's what scares me and I'm letting Simon know.

“And because of your magic you one day will be forced to fight the Humdrum and you might not survive that. And I want you to survive that. I want you to live." 

I take another breath and say this last part, "Simon, you’re everything to me."

Is this a good time to kiss Simon again I wonder?

And then he kisses me and I can't speak or think anymore. 

As we lie entangled in each other, Snow’s unbuttoned my shirt and is touching my stomach. And it feels so good. Everything he does feels so good. I will never get enough of him.

Simon Snow.

Eventually we end up half sitting with Simon against the bedframe and me straddling him. He is kissing my neck, kissing, sucking, licking.

"Oh...Simon..." I’m moaning.

Simon keeps going. His hands are on my back, pulling me towards him. There’s no distance between us now. My arms are around his shoulders, clinging to him, gripping him tight, but not too tight, as I’m much stronger than him. (I need to keep that in mind.)

Simon just nibbled on my earlobe and I growled. I actually literally growled. Because it felt incredible. Snow's hands and teeth and lips and tongue. Everything about him feels incredible.

I’m breathless and happy. I feel like I could start crying right this moment.

"Simon. You made me the happiest person in the world." I say and my lips are on his. His arms are like a steel band around my back. It means more than words to me.

I unbutton a few buttons on his shirt and start kissing the space between his neck and shoulder, licking every single mole I can find and sucking on his perfect tawny skin. 

He will be covered in love bites. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why I’m doing it. I need proof that all this was not just a dream. When I wake up tomorrow morning I need to know that this was real. 

I think Simon likes it a lot. His eyes are closed, his head is tilted back against the bed frame and he keeps moaning and saying my name over and over again.

"Baz..."

I don't register anything else except for his moans and my name on his lips. 

I hear his growl and it makes my head spin, I’m sucking even harder on this one spot.

"Oh Baz..."

That’s when we hear Ty.

”For Crowley’s sake, you two are embarrassing.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon finds out what the Mage is really like.

TPTT, Chapter 6

Ty:

When I walked into the room just now, Dad stopped what he was doing and looked aghast, but he didn’t say a word. Ab pulled himself together and got off of Dad’s lap… he was actually the first one to speak, apologizing quietly to Aunt Penny and I (Aunt Penny laughed).

But Dad kept his mouth shut and didn’t say anything or seem to know where to look.

I want Dad to look at me so he can see my smile and know it’s okay (he looks so embarrassed). But mostly I just want to know how he’s feeling now that he knows he’s my father.

Finally he clears his throat and looks up at me. His eyes are gentle and filled with wonder. “Ty, Baz—your dad— well, he’s told me everything. Even that… that I’m your father. And I just...wow. Is that really true?” 

“It’s true. You’re my dad,” I say, nodding. 

“Well,” Dad says. “That’s just… it’s really, really great.” 

I let out a sigh of relief and crack a grin at him. Now, for the first time since I’ve been here, I feel safe. The dad I met when I first came here seemed wild... he didn’t know who I was, and he had such a temper. But now he knows who I am, who I really am, and already his whole demeanor’s changed. He doesn’t reject me! (I mean, I never thought he would, but he’s so unpredictable at this age). I want to walk up and hug him, but I hold myself back because I remember Aunt Penny explaining to me that this all has to be on his time table.

I see Dad squeeze Ab’s hand and look at him before he gets up and walks over to me. “I’m sorry I’ve said so many strange, angry things to you, since you’ve come here. Nothing in my life…nobody...taught me how to handle complex situations. Your Aunt Penny can vouch for that.”

“He’s an animal,” Aunt Penny says drily, not missing a beat.

Dad continues. “Sometimes it’s like all I’ve been taught is how to fight.”

“I know, Dad. And don’t worry. I understand. Aunt Penny told me how it would be, and she explained why, too. I understand.”

“I can’t believe I’m your dad and you turn out like this... so polite and well-behaved. So calm. Baz must have a lot more to do with your upbringing than I do.”

“Not at all, Dad. You’re my stay-home parent and you do everything for me. Ab helps too, but when I’m little I spend most of my time with you.”

“Really? So I assume you start out as a baby?” I nod. “How in Crowley’s name do I become gentle enough to handle a baby? How do I learn what to do?”

“I guess maybe...love. And wanting me to have it better than you had it. You treat me like gold, Dad.”

“I had shit,” Dad confirms. But then he continues.

“But...do I become like this right away? I mean, how do I learn it so fast?” Dad asks. I realize he’s starting to panic, because he’s only seventeen and not ready for fatherhood. And for all he knows, little baby me is just around the corner.

“Dad, you don’t have me right away. You and Ab get used to each other and get married and live together five years before you have me. You get to finish your teenage years without a baby...don’t worry!”

Dad grins and both him and Ab look visibly relieved. “That’s good, because I have no idea how to be a dad. I seriously have some books to read,” he says. “But I will learn and be the best father I can be.”

“That’s exactly what happens, Dad,” I say. 

“Oh...and. Sorry you saw me handling your other father like that. But I’ve only just discovered that I fancy him. So it’s hard not to get carried away…” he glances back over at Ab, who has been gazing at Dad this whole time he’s talking to me but now is blushing slightly.

“‘S okay,” I say. “I’m used to seeing you guys all over each other, though this was a bit more embarrassing than the usual. I guess you two quiet down over the years but you stay pretty into each other.”

Ab and Dad smile at each other. They like hearing that.

Crowley. I thought it was weird talking to my Ab, when he’s so young… almost my age. But it’s even stranger talking to this young version of my dad, now that he knows he’s my father. He’s trying to be careful and gentle with me, but he doesn’t really know how.

At least he won’t glare at me when I talk to Aunt Penny or Ab anymore. Or complain when they offer to do something nice for me.

We’re all silent a moment, till Dad asks, haltingly, “So I’m okay as a dad? Once I’m a bit older?”

I don’t hesitate to answer. “You’re the best. You do everything for me. My only complaint is that you worry too much.”

“I worry?” he sounds puzzled. “But don’t I have everything I want?” he looks at Ab again. (Ab’s eyes widen a little). 

“Things happen in this last year at Watford that are really hard for you to take.” I answer, carefully.

“What kind of things?” Dad asks, frowning.

I look at Aunt Penny and shake my head. “No; I can’t tell you yet. Future Aunt Penny was very clear with me that once you and Ab know you’re my dads, and that you love each other, we need to get an adult involved. We are not to handle everything on our own.”

(Young) Aunt Penny nods. “That sounds right. But who should that adult be?”

Dad’s face goes white. “The Mage?” he asks.

I answer quickly. “Definitely not.”

I expect Dad to argue, but he doesn’t; he looks relieved. “Good. Don’t know that I want to fully introduce you to him just yet. Or,” he adds, looking at Ab again, “explain any of this to him.”

“We need to continue keeping all this from the Mage,” Aunt Penny agrees.

“Actually, Aunt Penny thought my nan would be the best person to help us,” I chip in.

“Who?” Dad asks.

“Fiona,” I add to clarify.

“My aunt Fiona is a perfect choice” Ab says and turns to Aunt Penny, “Good thinking, Bunce.”

Dad looks worried, “Your aunt doesn't like me, Baz. She once spelt me with ‘Stay your ground’.”

Ab waves his hand, “Fiona won't hurt you now that you’re family,” he blushes slightly (how much has he been feeding?). Ab looks at Dad, worried, “What I meant to say, when… I mean if you—”

Dad interrupts Ab by snogging him right in front of us.   
There goes his apology… however, he seems to remember quickly that they aren't alone. 

“Baz…” Dad says and then leans in to whisper something in his ear. I probably don't want to know what that was because Ab keeps blushing and smiling while whispering something back.

Then the both of them turn to us and Ab states, “We can trust my aunt. She’s okay with keeping secrets and she would do anything for family. Plus she likes bending the rules a little.”

We all agree Nan is the one we should call. Aunt Penny lends Ab her cell phone and he punches in her number.

“Basil?” I hear Nan say. “What is it?”

“Fiona, I need you to come to Watford immediately. But come secretly.”

“What’s this about?” she asks.

“You’ll need to see it to believe it,” Ab answers. “Will you come? When can you get here? 

“I can be there in two hours.”

“Perfect. Park behind the bushes and Penelope Bunce will meet you outside. She’s short and wears glasses.”

“I know what the little Bunce looks like, Basil. I went to school with her parents and she's the mirror image of them.”

“Alright.”

“Is this a conspiracy, boyo?”

“It very well might be just that.”

“See you in two hours.”

Once Ab’s off the phone, Dad says, “Right, so we have two hours. Ty,” he says authoritatively, turning to me, “we have lots to talk about. But your father and I have…” (he clears his throat) “important matters to discuss. Which we didn’t get to quite finish earlier. Maybe you and Penny...your Aunt Penny could…”

Aunt Penny rolls her eyes and steps forward to take my arm. “Come on, Ty. Let’s get you something to eat.”

Baz:

Once they’re gone, I can’t help raising an expectant eyebrow at Snow. He looks kind of sheepish, but he’s already scooting closer and has now grabbed my hand. “What? I don’t think we got everything settled, just yet.”

“Oh really?” I ask, enjoying his discomfort but also secretly pleased he wants more alone-time with me.

“Yes,” he says, pushing me backwards on top of the bed and leaning down to straddle over the top of me. With his lips about an inch from my face, and his blue eyes surprisingly lusty, he whispers first, “So can I, Baz?”

I can only nod and close my eyes. He kisses me again, and it’s… oh. 

So good.

After a few dazed minutes, we pull apart and look into each other’s eyes. “How long, Simon?” I whisper.

“Think it’s been years,” he answers, “though I didn’t realize it till just today. If that makes sense.”

“It doesn’t,” I say, “but I believe you.”

“It’s just,” he continues, as if he has to explain, “I’m not good with words, you know? And feelings. Those have always been tough for me to have and I’m shite at expressing them.”

“Well,” I answer, “I haven’t exactly made it easy for you. But we have our whole lives to figure this out, right? Let’s just be happy that it ends like this for us, now. And enjoy it.”

“Oh, I enjoy it,” he says, hoarsely, burying his face in my neck and pressing against me. I hear and feel his breath on my ear. I shiver and groan because what he’s doing… feels exquisite. I couldn’t have dreamed up this feeling or any of the past few days’ events in my wildest fantasy.

Fiona:

I park my car behind the bushes, as per Basil’s instruction.   
The little Bunce is already there waiting for me.

“Thanks for coming, Ms. Pitch,” she says. “I’ll take you through to their room.”

She spells us both invisible, takes my hand (“Really? Is this necessary?”), and somehow leads us through the protective barrier of the boys’ wing at Mummer’s.

As we enter the room, I see Basil and the Chosen One... along with a third person. 

Baz looks at me and says, “Fiona, this is Ty. He's from the future.”

The boy turns around and looks at me.

Immediately I start thinking to myself: Sister, he has your eyes. Not the colour, but the shape, the glint of them, the intelligence.

I’m walking toward him, like in a dream, as he gives me that Pitch smile — your smile, Tasha.

I pull him into my arms and breathe out deeply. I never thought there would be another Pitch after Baz. He’s gay, he’s a vampire…how can there be another? I have no idea how this is possible. But I know one thing though — he's your blood, Tasha.

“I think maybe you’ve guessed, Fiona,” Baz says softly. “He’s my son from the future.”

Simon Snow's involvement is clear as day. Basil’s fallen for the Mage’s heir, of all people. Because why would he ever fall in love with a safe, boring bloke who’ll give him peace and quiet.

No, my nephew has chosen the most unpredictable magician our World has ever known. Go figure. 

Since it’s Basil we’re talking about here, he is in love… I can see it in his eyes now. The feeling must be mutual. 

“I’d ask you who the other parent is, Basil,” I say, looking him squarely in the eyes and raising one eyebrow. “But it seems unnecessary since clearly the bloke in question is standing right here.”

Baz doesn't squirm under my gaze; he’s just like you, sister — fearless in that way. 

“Well, yes you are correct, Fiona.”

The Chosen One’s eyes widen, “How did you know? None of us knew, except for Baz, but even he didn't know from the beginning.”

I look him up and down, “Jesus Christ, you're all a bunch of children. It's a good thing you've called me.”

The jaw, the freckles, the moles. Anyone with eyesight and half a brain can see the resemblance between Baz’s son and the Chosen One.

Not entirely sure how they managed it, though. Something must have happened to Basil, something magickal since he can't father children…

They’d need a surrogate, of course, and more magic.

I very much suspect the little Bunce is involved, one way or another.

“So,” I say to Ty. “You’re Basil and Simon’s son, that much is clear. But why have you come here from the future? And how have you come here?”

“I’ll tell you the answer to your first question, first. I came here to save two lives, so my dad Simon doesn’t have to see these deaths. Because it hurts him too much.”

Simon Snow looks at Ty sharply. He hadn’t heard this part yet.

“Whose are the two lives you’ve come to save?”

Ty looks at all of us and swallows. “I can only tell you one, to start.”

“Look, boyo. You have to tell me everything.”

“I will, Nan, I promise I will. But both of these are going to be hard for Dad to hear and Aunt Penny said to only tell them one at a time.”

“Aunt Penny?”

Penny interrupts to quickly explain. “When I’m older, I become his surrogate mother. And as he grows up, he thinks of me as ‘Aunt Penny’. I’m apparently the one who advises him on how to do things when he comes back.”

I must look skeptical, because she quickly adds, “Remember, I had him contact you first. So I must have some common sense, right?”

She’s perhaps correct, there.

I turn back to Ty. “So who is the first person whose life you need to save?”

Ty looks at Simon, his eyes pleading. “We’re going to save her, Dad.”

“Who is it, Ty?” Simon says in a small voice.

“It’s Ebb, Dad.”

The Chosen One’s face crumbles (I’ve never seen him look like such a little boy). Basil steps closer and puts his arm over his shoulder. “Nothing’s happened yet, Simon. We can save her.”

I’m still processing what he’s said: Ebb. My best friend, Ebb. 

“What happens to her?” I ask sharply. “Is it that selfish fool Nico?”

Ty hurries to reassure me, on that score. “No. It’s not him. And Nan, he’s not as selfish as you think. In the end, Nico’s the one who helped magick me here. With a spell. And it...” Ty stops, as if it’s hard for him to go on. “It ended up being that the spell would only work if he... died.”

I feel those words in my heart. So Nico is dead, then. 

End of an era.

But then, I remind myself. That’s future Nico. Present day Nico is alive and has years left.

I turn my attention back to Ty. He thinks he has to explain why he’s come back using the spell that killed Nico. (He doesn’t want his father to feel bad for someone’s death, but now he’s taken similar guilt onto himself. These boys.)

“He insisted,” Ty’s saying. “He didn’t want Ebb to be murdered. ‘The world needs Ebb. It can do without me’ — that’s what he said.” Ty’s distressed. “The spell said ‘Death is the opening, pain is the price’. And Nico said it had to be him.”

First I reassure Ty. “You did right. Nico knew what he was doing. You helped him make things right.”

I sit down. This is all too much. How many years have I spent hating Nico for what he did to Ebb and to me? He and I were in love. But he chose to cross over, turn his back on everyone who ever loved him. He broke our hearts and he abandoned Ebb to the dogs, as it were. All these years I’ve cursed him for that.

But…in the end he tried to set it right. That’s a lot to process. 

I shake it off. There’s no time. “Listen,” I say to the kids, firmly. “If you want me to help you, you have to tell me everything.”

“I will. But can I please tell this next part to Dad alone? I mean, Ab, you stay,” Ty says, looking at Basil. “But Aunt Penny, can you take Nan to get something to eat? Or something? Come back in maybe twenty minutes?”

I nod silently and try not to glower at the Chosen One as I follow the young Bunce out the room. He’s a menace…everyone has to be oh, so careful of him, lest he “go off”, because he has yet to control his magic. (What Basil sees in him, I can’t be sure. But he’s Ty’s father, so he’s family now. Guess I’ll have to see to it that he doesn’t explode).

We leave so they can have their private conversation.

Baz:

We’re all three silent for a while, before Simon speaks.

“How does Ebb die, Ty?” he asks.

Ty looks at him, worried. “First, can I hug you, Dad?”

“All right.” Ty steps forward and throws his arms around Simon. At first Simon just stands there, but then he reaches up and puts his arms around Ty, too. He seems to gather strength from that.

“Tell me about Ebb’s death. The death we’re going to stop.”

“I’ll tell you, Dad. It’s hard, though, because I never want you to be unhappy. But it’s... it’s the Mage, Dad. The Mage will kill Ebb if we don’t stop him.”

At first Simon is quiet. Then he says, “No. Why on earth would he do that?”

“He’s not a good person, Dad. He wants power and he finds a ritual for how to take someone’s magic, but it only works if the person dies. He kills her for her power. Right in front of you, and it breaks your heart. And you never get over it. She dies and you find out how evil he is, all at once. I had to come back and try to change that ending for you.”

Simon’s face is white and he shakes his head. “No,” he says again.

But he’s not really arguing about it. He believes Ty.

His brow furrows and his eyes race back and forth as he thinks about it. Thinks about what it means and how that changes…everything.

Now it makes sense why we had to hide Ty from the Mage. Why Ty and Penny were adamant that he was not to be the adult who helped us.

“I’ll kill him,” Simon whispers hoarsely. 

“Dad,” Ty says, taking Simon’s hands, “No. Listen to me. You can’t do that. It’s going to hurt more than you think.” Ty’s face looks strained but he continues, “See, that’s... that’s what happens. The Mage dies in front of you… his is the other death we have to stop. He’s not an innocent, like Ebb, but it’s better for you if he doesn’t actually die. If he just loses his power and is kept from hurting anyone ever again. That’s better for you.”

“Because I’m the one who kills him, aren’t I?” Simon asks quietly.

“Yes, Dad, but you don’t mean to do it. It’s an accident.”

“If he’s such an evil git, why do I even care when he’s dead?” Simon asks.

Ty doesn’t answer right away, and when he does, he’s holding something back. “You care because you’re a good person, and he was your guardian and all. But there’s ways to stop him without you killing him. Dad, I want you and Ab to be happy in the future, when I’m your child. These are the things that end up spoiling your happiness. We can stop these things. That’s why I came back.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After learning that his mentor The Mage is evil, Simon’s magic bubbles up and he goes off... into Baz. Baz absorbs the blow, but it scorches him inside. This painful event is pivotal, though... this is the experience that returns Baz's fertility and makes the future conception of Ty possible.

TPTT, Chapter 7

Crowley.

Simon sinks down onto my bed. I cradle him in my arms whispering reassurance, “It will be alright, love.”

It’s a lie of course. How can it ever be alright? Simon just found out who and what his mentor is — a murderer, a criminal and a bastard of the worst kind. You can't actually walk away from that kind of knowledge unscathed. 

I know Ty wants to help erase all that, but I’m not sure it’s possible.

I still have nightmares about my mother's death. What kind of nightmares will he have? Will they ever go away? I don't think anything I have to say can ever help. Not that it matters. He checked out a while ago. I don't think he knows that I’m holding him or talking to him. 

I really don't know what to do.

"Maybe Dad just needs to rest?" Ty suggests.

”Yes, he’ll be fine after he rests for a bit," I lie.

Eventually, Ty gets more agitated.

"Is there anything... What can we do?"

"Wait. All we can do is wait. I don't really know what to expect,” I tell him the truth.

A comatose nervous breakdown apparently is what we’re getting. 

It feels like a lifetime ago we started on this journey, but it's not. This kind of psychological trauma shouldn’t be put on one person within such a short time.

I want to help. But there is nothing any of us can do. And we can't call for Dr. Wellbelove either because nobody can know about this.

Simon's magic is leaking, now...a lot. I begin to worry he is going to go off. I look at Ty. He can sense something is going on, too.

Simon never gets hurt while going off but he has always been conscious before. What will happen if he goes off in this state? Can he even survive it?

Simon starts to glow and I don't know what to do. I can't lose him. This isn't how it should end. Simon needs to live.

I turn to Ty. “You need to leave, now. Run as far as you can and hide,” I tell him.

“I’m not leaving you,” the stubborn brat says.

“It’s not safe, Ty. You’ve never seen him when he goes off,” I try to reason.

“Pitches don’t abandon their family,” he says, sticking his chin out. I know whom he learned that particular chin trick from.

“For Crowley’s sake, Tyrannus!”

"I’m not leaving. You need to take Dad’s excessive magic. But he has to give it to you himself," Ty says.

"How am I supposed to do that? He is non-responsive."

"Try to get through to him."

I keep shouting Simon’s name, he doesn't hear me.

"Simon"

"Simon"

"Baz"

"Simon? Can you hear me?"

"We have to kill him..."

Kill whom? Simon is rambling, he doesn't hear me. 

Merlin, Morgana and Methuselah. What should I do?

I’m holding him in my arms shouting at him. It doesn't help. Nothing I do is helping. I’m desperate. In this instant all I can think about is Simon going off like this and never coming back.

I lean in and kiss Simon. His lips are like steel, there is no movement there. 

But then just as I’m about to pull away, he kisses me back.

SIMON

I feel something brush against my lips. 

Baz. He’s kissing me. I kiss him back.

"Simon, can you hear me?"

"Baz?"

"You need to give me your magic, love."

He is out of it again.

SIMON

Baz

"Baz"

I’m burning up.

I haven't even noticed that I’m about to go off.

Someone is still talking.

I try to hear what they are saying. I can hear Baz.

"Simon?"

"Baz?"

BAZ

Simon might actually hear me this time. I’m holding both his hands, still shouting.

"Simon"

What am I supposed to do?

SIMON

"Dad, can you hear us?"

I hear Ty speaking. He’s my son, our son, Baz and mine. He’ll never be born, not if Baz never heals, not if I kill us all right now.

"Hold on to abba... to Baz and let go of your magic. Open yourself up and let your magic flow into him. That’s how you explained it to me."

My head is dizzy. I try to look around and see Baz kneeling next to me, holding my hands. I put them on his chest and try to open up. I’m too agitated to think, I’m about to go off.   
BAZ

Simon puts his hands on my chest. I hold them up for him because I don't think he’s capable of doing that on his own. Nothing happens at first and I’m worried he’ll go off right here in our room. I have no idea what will happen when he’s this out of it-- if he can still protect us, protect Ty. 

Ty

“Ty, if this doesn’t work, you need to ask Nicodemus to send you to the starting point again.”

“But Nico’s dead now, Abba.”

“Not in this time, he isn’t. Find the Nico that exists in this time and have him send you back. But first go find Bunce. Now.”

“But-”

“I said now, Tyrannus. There’s no time. Trust me.”

“Fine, I’ll go get Penny and Nana and we’ll come back to you.”

“Yes, I’ll see you real soon, son.”

As soon as he leaves I cast a protective spell on our room and start to sob. If things go wrong, no one else has to die. I know that the Nicodemus of this time won’t sacrifice his life for my son. If this doesn’t work there won’t be any more visits with Ty from the future.

But Ty could still exist here in this timeline if Simon and I die today. Which we might, I’m almost certain of that. Simon’s is still glowing, he’s going to go off any moment and probably kill us both in the process.

I hope our son will have a good life. My aunt will take care of Ty. 

SIMON  
I finally feel it. The moment my magic makes a connection with Baz. I let it flow into him from my every pore. I push all of it into him.

BAZ

If I weren’t a vampire and could hear his heartbeat, I’d say Simon was lifeless — he sure looks that way, except for the glowing. It’s gotten worse and his edges are blurry. I’m worried these are our last moments together. I lean in and kiss Simon on his cheek.

“I’m sorry love, for not letting you in earlier and for not being able to help you now. I’m sorry I failed you,” I force myself to speak through the tears and the lump in my throat. This is the moment I might lose him forever.   
“I love you, Simon.”

I’ve almost given up hope when I feel it — Simon's magic entering me. It's like fire. He’s filling me with fire. And at first it feels grand, it feels like I can do anything. Like I am bottomless; no, centerless. Like I am bigger on the inside then I am on the outside.

Ty warned me not to let go of Simon's hands, no matter what. And I now wonder why he needed to warn me about that…

What I’m feeling is practically infinity at my fingertips, like I can cast any spell, back up any promise... this feels better, stronger and brighter, than magic’s ever felt. My whole being craves feeling this way forever.

Oh, I finally get what Ty meant. The fire becomes too much. I feel as if I’m burning. I know I’m not on fire, I can see my ashy skin just fine. 

But it feels as if Simon is burning me up or out from the inside. I don't think it can get any worse, the agony I feel. But it does. The fire burns through every piece of me, every drop of my blood, every bone, every muscle, every pore, through everything that is me. There’s fire under my skin. I feel like my whole body and soul, if I had one, is about to be incinerated. 

There’s no escape. I feel as if I am going to die the most painful and excruciating death I could have ever imagined. I am burning out. It feels as though there won't be anything left of me but ashes. As if I never existed at all. But more than just my body. In this instant it feels as if any traces of me will disappear, too. That time will reset itself, forgetting who I was, striking me from it’s record. 

My body is in such an agony I’m afraid I’ll wish for death. Which would mean I would have to let go of Simon. And I won't let go. I cling to him for dear life, even though it feels as if he is the one taking my life away in the most excruciating way. 

I know it's not him. I try to remember that. He wouldn’t intentionally hurt me now. I repeat that thought to myself, until my thoughts start to slip. It’s like driving and falling asleep at the wheel. I know it’s happening but I can’t let myself do that. Keep holding on, Basilton! 

I have to hold on to Simon, I think. I keep repeating it over and over in my head so I won't forget. I feel like I might and I have to remember.

It's a struggle to hold on to Simon. I’m not sure what I would have done without my vampiric strength. I’m holding on with all I've got, with all I have left which isn't much. I’m weak, too bloody weak. The only thought left registered in my head is to hold on to Simon's hands.

Hold on to Simon.

Simon

Simon

I’m slipping away…

SIMON

It feels nothing like going off. The pressure isn't dropping all at once, it feels more like a waterfall. It feels like I'm pouring water into a well. I’m filling Baz with all that was too much for me, with all that was about to explode because there was not enough space for it inside of me, my body. 

But letting my magic flow into Baz instead of letting it go off on its own is extremely difficult. It takes longer and my magic doesn’t want to wait. It’s hurting me, for the first time ever. It wants to explode out of my chest right now. It needs to explode. I’m burning up and the heat is unbearable, suffocating. 

All I want is to let go and go off.

But I know I can't do that. I know that this is better. I know I have to do it the right way for Baz. I have to keep thinking about Baz.

I’m doing it for Baz.

Baz

Baz

I can't breathe. It never felt like this before, as if my magic is trying to destroy me from the inside. It’s because there’s not enough space for it.

I try to keep all my thoughts on Baz. It’s a struggle to think. I’m trying very hard to power through all the fog in my head.

My magic will heal Baz.

I have to concentrate on that. I have to hold on to Baz.

The more magic floats into him the lighter I feel. I can almost breath. I’m almost becoming myself again, not yet, but I’m close. I’m still burning but my thoughts are more coherent now. They are mine and less clouded. I’m in so much pain and my clearing mind is able to register that now. Becoming aware of the pain makes it harder to endure. But I try to think my way through it.

Baz thinks he’s a monster. I will prove to him that he’s not. I will heal whatever it is Baz needs to be healed in order for him to feel human. I want Baz to see himself the way I see him — without a doubt and undeniably perfect.

Absolutely perfect. 

I want to give Baz anything he wants. I’m in love with him.

I don't need him to change for my benefit. Baz is incredible, there’s nothing wrong with him, nothing at all. 

I do want some side-effects of being a vampire to change. For example that we'll be able to have children, to have Ty. I wonder if there’s a chance for Baz to become less flammable. My magic always worked differently for me than magic works for other magicians. I’m trying to concentrate on those changes, and hoping my magic will “listen” to me and do that.

But that isn't really considered changing Baz. He’ll still be the same Baz to me. My boyfriend Baz. We are boyfriends now aren’t we?

I wonder what will happen when we defeat the Humdrum together, when so much more magic will go through him. 

I open my eyes — Baz is glowing just like me now.

I think I’m close to being done. Just a bit longer and I’m finally free, finally myself. 

Very slowly I feel more in control. 

The pressure goes down, everything feels good. In this moment of sharing my magic with Baz, I feel as if I’m a part of him and that he’s a part of me. It feels as if we are one being. 

Whatever magic that would have exploded from me is now floating through Baz. He is still glowing, but I am not. I can breathe and think clearly. 

As I try to move my hands Baz collapses onto me. 

"Baz?"

He doesn't respond. His eyes are closed and he doesn't move, just lies on me like a limb, still glowing. What’s wrong? I thought this was supposed to be good for Baz, heal him? I see him opening his mouth just a bit, like he is trying to speak but noise is coming. I embrace Baz and try and hope for the best because I have no idea what to do.

BAZ

Something shifted and I think I might have fallen down. I can’t be quite sure. My thoughts are scrambled. Then I remember "Hold on to Simon's hands". But I can't move. I can't feel myself. 

Is it over now? I don't understand what's happening. I don't feel the fire. 

I don't feel anything. 

Have I become uncorporeal? Have I died? Shouldn’t I have noticed it happening to me?

I hear Simon speaking, saying something in the background. I must be alive, then, unless I’ve become a ghost? He is either whispering or shouting, I can’t tell. I try to speak but I have no voice.

"Jesus Christ, Baz?"

Simon is swearing like a Normal. He must be extremely worried about me. I want to speak, to reassure him that I’m still here. But even I am not sure of that fact. 

Am I still here? I feel lost. I’m trying to find my voice to no avail. Moments pass, maybe hours. It’s hard to tell when you can’t feel anything. 

When I finally do speak, it comes out in a low whisper.

"Simon-" 

"I’m here, Baz. Tell me what's wrong?"

Everything and nothing, I want to say. It seems as if there’s nothing left in me.

"Simon. I'm.."

What am I? I am starting to feel something…

"Baz? Tell me what's wrong. Are you hurt?"

Am I hurt?

I do feel pain, my body might be filled with it. No not pain... something else. I feel scorched and burnt and hollow but... not hurt.

"Scorched, not hurt."

SIMON

"Simon-"

"Baz. Tell me what's wrong. Are you hurt?"

A long pause passes, Baz is still not answering. I’m freaking out. Baz isn't glowing anymore. I feel like that must be a good sign, unless it means it got worse somehow. It seemed to have worked. Did my magic hurt Baz? Have I hurt Baz?

"Scorched, not hurt," Baz whispers.

That does not sound like "not hurt" to me. Panic is taking over my mind, I don’t know what to do, how to help him.

BAZ

I finally found my mouth and my voice. But I have no more strength to speak. Simon knows I’m alright; I told him that I wasn’t hurt. I just want to sleep and be left alone. 

Not alone from Simon of course-- not talking is what I mean. I’m scorched and hollow, just as I said. Perhaps I shouldn’t have phrased it like that. As I open my eyes I see that Simon is clearly worried.   
He is worried about me but I can't speak anymore to tell him not to worry, to reassure him. I feel his arms around me and I try to touch him. 

Simon notices and takes my hand in his, I squeeze it lightly and try to smile, try to let him know that I’m alright. (That one motion takes all the strength I have at the moment.)

Simon smiles at me. Good, that's good. Everything is good. I just let myself drift.

SIMON

Baz squeezed my hand, or at least it seemed like it… and he may even have tried to smile. Hopefully he’s just too tired to speak. I feel relieved. My magic isn’t floating anymore between us — it’s done, really done. I hold on to Baz and close my eyes in exhaustion. 

Fiona:

Ty came to us, frantic, and we followed him back as fast as we could, only to discover that Baz had spelled us out of the room. It took at least half an hour to figure out how to break the bond to get back inside (if that boy wants my help he really has to learn to be more cooperative).

Once we were in, we found them exhausted and apparently sleeping. A closer look showed it was more like they had lost consciousness…by the way they were dripping with sweat, dried tears caked to their faces it was apparent they’d both been through excruciating pain. 

The little Bunce said it must have been because Simon almost went off. The magic wanted a fast way out and shoved itself too hard too much too fast. 

I should probably stop calling her “the little Bunce”.

When they simply share magic on a whim, she says, neither of them is in pain. They've only done it once according to her. (I would not be surprised if she doesn't know everything that’s gone on between these two.)

That's because it's never that much magic. She says this is too much magic for anyone to handle. That is why it explodes. Instead it all went into Basil. Ty thinks it will heal him more. And that's what I want for him. Anything to make Baz happy. 

I had half a mind to separate them when I heard Ty needed to tell his dad Simon difficult news. But now I’m wondering if this was part of the chain of events that makes it possible for Ty to be born someday. 

And at least the Humdrum didn’t show up to complicate things. The timing of this scene and their current weakness is good, in that way. Hopefully the Humdrum won’t be a factor tonight. I better stay and guard over them, to be sure.

Penelope warned me not to touch them. They are immune to each other's magic. They can't be hurt by it. And I know what she means. They did look in pain, both of them. But there are no traces of either of them being hurt. Whatever was happening, was happening on the inside.

But if any one of us tries to touch them when they are joined in magic, it might kill us.

Baz:

I wake up to darkness, still lying by Simon. I’m a little sore, and still exhausted, but otherwise fine. There’s a small lamp lit, by the window. 

Fiona is seated on the floor with her back against the door. My aunt is nothing if not overly dramatic. Who does she think will burst on us here?

She starts when she sees me looking at her.

“Basil,” she says, getting up and coming to me. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I answer impatiently. “But where’s Ty?”

“Penelope took him to her room to sleep. Apparently her roommate’s gone this weekend so she has the room to herself.”

“That’s good.”

“So are you alright?”

“Yes…I think so. Yes. Was kind of an ordeal when it was happening, though. I’m sorry I locked you out,” I say, before adding “Simon and I could have died. I didn't want anyone harmed, least of all Ty.”

“I understand, boyo. You did what you thought you had to in order to protect your family.”

I hardly ever need to explain myself to my aunt. I'm more than grateful for that.

I feel Simon’s slow and steady breathing. He still needs to be protected.

“Simon won't be alright after this. He believed in the Mage. Even I didn't think...”

I mean, I always thought it was him, but I never really thought it was him. How could he? He’s the Mage. How could he just—?

If I'm still in shock, I can't even imagine how Simon must feel.

“That man fooled everyone. But you're right, your bloke might take it the hardest.”

“I need to protect him, Fiona. I need to do whatever it takes to make Simon happy again.”

She’s silent, looking at me, waiting for me to continue. 

We don't know what the Mage is capable of. What we do know is that he is dangerous, he’s a murderer.

“If it comes to that, I will sacrifice myself for Simon and you can't stand in my way.”

Fiona takes a deep breath. “You, Basil, are a true Pitch.”

“Which reminds me. I'm going to propose to Simon.”

“Since he’s already a part of this family it only makes sense to make it official.”

I wonder what spell I should use. Truthfully I'm not sure I have enough magic at the moment for an elaborate magickal proposal. 

Obviously, I do understand that we have more pressing issues at the moment. However, I want to make sure Simon knows he’s my family. 

First we might need to resolve the situation with the Mage.

“Fiona,” I say, “we can talk about what to do tomorrow. But between you and me, I think we have to involve Nico. I think if he knows what the Mage is going to do to his sister, he might share what he knows about Mother’s death.”

“Basil,” Fiona answers, “if you had told me that idea yesterday, I would have told you it’s crazy. That no way should we attempt to trust or contact Nico. But now that I know he helped Ty the way he did... I realize that’s not the right way to look at it, anymore. I believe he will help us, now.”

“So you agree we should try to find him tomorrow?” I ask, but my eyes are heavy and it’s a struggle to talk anymore.

“Yes, but no more talking. Close your eyes and rest.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Baz wake up recovered from their big ordeal; Fiona watched over them to make sure they were safe. She tells them it's time to contact Nico. They all go to Ebb's, and Ebb arranges for Nico to meet them. Nico reveals what he knows about the Mage's involvement in Baz's mother's death.

TPTT, Chapter 8

Baz:

The next day, Simon and I wake up very late. Fiona is still in our room, paging through one of my school books.

“Ahh! And so they awaken,” she says, closing the book dramatically and rising stiffly (she must have been in that chair a very long time). She walks over to where we both lie and asks in a surprisingly tender voice, “How do you feel?” 

I’m surprised because I think she’s asking Simon, too.

I answer first. “I feel really good, actually. Really good.” I look down at my hands. My skin is still pale but not quite as gray as it was before. I feel as if I’ve just fed, but it’s been two days.

Strange. Why do I feel like this? Is it an after-effect of having so much of Simon’s magic in me?

Yesterday I thought his magic would kill me. Today I find I feel better than before.

Simon sits up, his hair a botched arrangement of both standing and flattened curls. (But still he looks radiant). There is a red crease on his face where a wrinkle in his pillow left an impression.

“Merlin. How long did I sleep?” he asks.

“I’d say a good twelve hours,” Fiona answers, a hint of amusement in her tone. “But we’ve things to do, so enough of that. You’d better get up and about.”

“I’m starving,” Simon observes.

“I’ll ring Penelope and Ty. They can bring some breakfast over— actually let’s be more accurate and call it ‘lunch’. Why don’t you and Basil take your showers, now.” She pauses before adding, “Separately, if you could — we don't have time for snogging.”

“Fiona-!” I say. Simon and I share a look before our eyes quickly dart apart, and we blush. He then gets up to grab some clothes and heads to the shower first.

Once he’s gone I return my attention to Fiona. “Please. Give us a chance to adjust to things first.” (She smirks). I pause and add, “So what’s the plan for today?”

“I’ve been thinking it through all night,” she answers. “We need to see Nico. I know where he’s been staying, but perhaps the best way is to visit him nearby, at the goat barn in the Wavering Woods.”

“But how can he do that? He’s struck from the book. Isn’t he banned from coming near us?”

“Yes, but not magickally. If we talk to Ebb first… she’ll know how to arrange the whole thing discreetly. She’s a very powerful magician, you see, and Nico’s her twin. So first we go see Ebb. Then we find out how to bring him by.”

She gets up and strides over to the door of the ensuite, knocking briskly and calling, “Hurry up, Chosen One! We have important business.” She turns to look at me sharply. “And Basil, nevermind your hair today. You look fine.”

***********

Fiona:

We finally reach the goat barn, where Ebb lives. I’m fairly confident that by now she’s sensed we’re coming and has put on a kettle for tea.

She always had a knack for knowing what comes next.

We were best friends during our days at Watford… closer than close. But somehow that got lost over the years. There was that whole dreadful business with Nico and then Tasha’s death. I was beside myself for a while. I didn’t have time to mourn and coddle her… there was Basil to take care of. Malcolm wasn’t fit for anything those first few years.

And Ebb had just kind of... fallen to pieces.

Eventually she pulled herself together, after a sort. She’s built a life of peace, solitude, and usefulness for herself with the goats and sheep. 

I wonder if she’ll resent me for all the years away. I let the time between my visits get longer and longer, until they stopped altogether.

“I smell something good,” the Chosen One remarks.

“Scones. Definitely scones,” the young Bunce chimes in.

“Sour cherry, do you think?” Ty asks.

Simon winks at him and grins. “Definitely.”

I’ll say one thing for him. The Chosen One recovers from trauma remarkably quickly (Baz says it’s Simon’s “battle mode”. He stops thinking about stuff and just goes with whatever needs to be done). Yesterday he went from romance to fatherhood to panic attack and near-nuclear meltdown, all in the space of a day, and now that he’s had some sleep he’s back to romance and besotted hand-holding with my nephew.

And Basil. He looks positively radiant. (Hard to remember he’s a vampire, sometimes).

But now Ebb has come outside the barn door and is waving at us.

“Fiona!” she calls. “Oh, wonderful to see you. Simply wonderful, do come in!”

With a warm embrace for each of us, she ushers us inside to her sitting room within the barn. She finds an upturned bucket for each of us to sit on (Simon is content to sit on a rag rug on the floor, his legs crossed). She busies herself with getting us tea from the kettle on her potbelly stove (which apparently is powered by magic as it doesn’t connect to a chimney or outside wall). She opens the door of a cupboard she’s nailed up to the barn wall, and pulls out a tray of sour cherry scones. 

Bunce helps pour the tea while Ebb offers the tray to each of us in turn.

“So what brings you all by?”

“Well, my dear,” I say briskly. “You see it’s this whole business with Ty. We’re trying to figure some things out and right a few wrongs. Wrongs that have already come to pass and a few that have yet to come.”

“I see. How can I help?” Ebb asks steadily.

“We need to contact Nico.” I pause as Ebb gasps. It’s been a long time since we’ve spoken of Nico, let alone talked about contacting him. But she watches me steadily and I continue. “We were hoping we could speak to him here. Of course that isn’t strictly allowed, we know… but perhaps you know a way he could be brought here-?”

She looks into my eyes and there is a note of confusion. “I thought you were done with him?” she asks.

“I thought so too,” I answer, honestly. “But it’s thanks to him that we have young Ty here. He’s sent Ty back to fix something dreadful that’s set to happen later this term. And he sends Ty back at great personal cost to himself. To hear Ty tell it, he’s downright noble in his desire to help.” I lean closer and lay my hand on top of Ebb’s. “It means Nico’s not lost, Ebb. He’s not lost.”

Her eyes are full, searching mine. She swallows and nods.

“I knew it,” she whispers. Then, as if gathering her strength, she says firmly, “I know how to do it.” 

She walks over to the potbelly stove and opens a small wooden box that was apparently stashed inside a compartment. She scoops something from the box up into her hands and then tosses it into the air. With another quick wave of her hands, it stays suspended in the air, shimmering like glitter. But it’s not glitter.

It’s letters.

It’s the letters of Nicodemus’s name, in elegant gold font.

“When they struck his name from the book, Tasha let me keep the letters. I put them in this box. Here they are.” She sniffles and there are tears in her eyes as she motions at the letters. 

Ty:

We all watch in wonder as Ebb waves her hands in front of her until the letters for “Nicodemus Petty” arrange themselves into the right order and hover delicately just above the stove. At first I think this is the spell she’s using to call Nico, but she waves the letters back into the box, closes it, and puts it away.

“Anybody have a mobile I can use?” Ebb asks.

Nan pulls a cell phone from her pocket and hands it to Ebb, wordlessly. “I see you still have Nico in your contacts,” she remarks.

“Just didn’t bother to delete him yet. Hadn’t given it that much thought,” Nan says haughtily, but Ebb smiles.

“Nicky?” she says. “It’s Ebb. Something’s come up and I need you here right away. Can you come quickly? I’ll explain everything when you get here.”

Nico must be pretty surprised to hear from her after the years of silence, but when she hands the phone back to Nan Ebb says, “He’s coming.”

While we wait, we nibble on scones and sip tea. Fiona and Ebb catch up on things. Penny and I are flipping through some dusty old books while Dad and Abba have a moment together. Dad had scooted across the floor until he was sitting right in front of Abba. He tucked himself between his open legs and rested his head against Abba’s knee. Abba looked kind of bewildered at the demonstration of affection, but he accepted it and eventually relaxed into it. Now he is playing with Dad’s hair and Dad looks so happy. (Aunt Penny winks at me when she catches me looking. I roll my eyes playfully. These lovebirds).

It’s such a calm scene, as compared with yesterday.

After a couple of hours we hear a loud car pull up outside. It revs a few times before the driver parks and gets out. A door slams and there is a brisk rap at the door. It must be Nico. Ebb gets up to open it (I see she’s trembling).

“Ebb,” the voice on the other side calls.

“Nicky,” she answers tearfully, pulling him in and embracing him.

He looks different than the decrepit old man I’d visited when I was looking for time travel help. He’s at least twenty years younger, his hair thicker, his body more robust and menacing. His skin still has the gray coloring, but he’s wearing black boots and a long leather coat and he looks kind of cool. 

I would guess him to be about nan’s age.

And just as I make that connection, his eyes latch onto her. “Fiona,” he says, darkly. “What’s this? Summoned me here to kill me, have you?”

Nan chuckles dangerously. “Not quite. We have something else in mind.”

I step forward and clear my throat. “Sir,” I say. “I’m a traveler from the future and I’ve come here to stop some evil things from happening.”

“Not my Turning, though. You haven’t come soon enough for that,” he chuckles to himself bitterly.

“No, your Turning ended up being a wonderful thing, actually,” I say quickly, before stopping myself and blushing. Why did I say it like that?

He looks at me like that’s the last thing on earth he expected to hear, and I don’t blame him. I better explain.

“We asked Ebb to help call you. But she doesn’t know the whole of it, yet.” I turn to Ebb apologetically. “We’re going to try and prevent this from happening, Ebb. This is the main reason I came back, in fact. But the Mage means to kill you for your power. If we don’t stop him, that’s what he does.”

Ebb looks more surprised than scared. “Really?” she mutters, shaking her head and actually chuckling. “I did not see that one coming.” 

Nico’s eyes have narrowed and he is very still.

“That bastard,” he whispers.

“We’ll stop the Mage before he does it.” I state firmly.

Nico’s head snaps up to look at me. He shakes his head. “It’s too… before you pull me into this one step further, I need to know. Why should I believe you’re from the future? Why should I believe a word you have to say?”

They’re all looking at me. A vampire, his twin, my nan, Aunt Penny, Abba, and Dad. Everything depends on my ability to convince them that this is real and that we need to act quickly. (I know everyone besides Nico already believes me, but they’re all looking at me curiously, like they want to hear how I will answer him. Will I lose their confidence if I answer poorly?). 

I square my shoulders and answer calmly. “Because the future you is the one who helped me come here. I found you in my time, twenty years from now. I told you I wanted to save Ebb and you agreed to help. But,” I add, “You also told me that you at this age wouldn’t believe me unless I showed proof. So you told me something that only you know, so I would have that proof.”

“And what’s that?”

I look into Nico’s eyes directly. “You told me that you had bought a ring for Nan… Fiona. And that after you Turned you threw it down a well.”

“What well?”

“The well behind this barn.”

He looks at me appraisingly. “That’s true,” he agrees. His eyes dart towards Fiona. 

She looks mad, of course. But also surprised.

“Do you believe me now?” I ask.

Instead of answering, he merely comments, “You look like a Pitch.” 

“I am. I’m Natasha’s grandson.”

Nico nods. “You look like her.” He seems to decide something, after that. “Alright; I’ll tell you. It comes as no great surprise to me that the Mage is a murderer. I already know him to be one.”

We all look at him. I think some of us know what he’s going to say. (Not Dad, though. Not Simon).

He looks at Fiona. “I would have told you before, but who would believe me? You all cast me out. But I know Davy was behind Natasha’s killing. It was him who let the vampires into Watford.”

I look at Abba first. He didn’t know this for sure, but he suspected. He’s looking down at the ground and his eyes are fire.

“How do you know this, Nico?” Nan asks cooly.

“He’d made a deal with them,” Nicodemus says. “If they attacked Watford, he’d let them live in London, unbothered. He wanted me to do it, but I wouldn’t. I’d never hurt anyone at Watford so he found someone else.”how could he? Turning hadn’t made him more evil… any more than it had made him more powerful. 

He’d even warned the headmistress of the Mage’s plan to kill her. But she didn't believe him; she thought he was lying. No one saw the Mage for what he is — a monster.

“I wasn't angry with the headmistress. No one believes a vampire in the World of Mages. You all think we're out to get you.”

Nico eventually heard about a vampire attack at Watford — in the nursery, no less. (Such depravity on the part of the Mage). And of course the death of the children’s savior, Natasha. That was a blow, because Nico knew her to be a kind woman who’d given Ebb a job and a place to live when nobody else would trust her… when everyone else was waiting for her to follow him into evil and vampirism.

Nico had no choice but to bitterly accept the turn of events. He was cast out and despised and what could do he do to stop the Mage’s quick assumption to power? (They hadn’t even let Nico keep his wand. The coven had done what it could to keep him powerless in exile).

Nico’s revelation about the Mage is so damning and so complete that I forget to watch Abba and Dad for their reactions. For me it’s the details that are the new part…but they’re learning all this for the first time. How are they taking it?

Abba seems stunned but also angry and like he’s thinking really hard. Dad is surprisingly calm; he doesn’t have a panic attack over the new information, this time. After learning what he did yesterday, he’s apparently already adjusted to the idea that the Mage is a terrible person. 

He seems more concerned with Abba, which I find...nice. I like that. He’s holding Abba’s hand and trying to get him to look back at him.

“I’m so, so sorry, Baz,” Dad says. “But we’re going to… get him, right Ty? Not kill him, you said…” he looks back at me. “Are you sure we can’t kill him?”

“No, Dad, do not kill him. We have to get him some other way. I know he’s powerful, but we know more than him. We know what he’s done and we know what he’s going to do.”

Fiona says, firmly. “We need to find proof of his guilt. We need to take evidence to the coven that proves what he’s done.”

She looks around at all of us. “Boys? Bunce? How about some breaking and entering? Think you can manage to get inside the Mage’s office, Simon?”

He looks at Abba, whose head is still down as he processes what he’s just learned about his mum’s death. Dad is worried for him and angry at the Mage and ready to do something — anything — for Abba. His eyes are fiery, but when he replies his voice is quiet and deadly.

“Oh I know I can,” Dad says.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Baz is off hunting, Penny tells Simon that now’s his best chance to search the Mage’s office. Baz returns to their room to find him gone. Angst and soul-searching for both our lovely boys, in this chapter.

TPTT, Chapter 9

Simon:

I was ready to march into the Mage’s office that night, rifle through all of his papers and find the smoking gun that incriminated him...nevermind whether he walked in and caught me or not. I was just that disgusted and angry. I didn’t care. He’s a murderer. Because of him Baz’s mum is dead and Baz is a vampire. (Not that I mind him being one, but that should have been his choice.)

The Mage drilled into my head how the Old Families were all criminals and murders. But who have they killed? No one. 

He’s the killer.

And that’s how he uses me…to kill.

I’m not just mad. I’m hurt, too. It’s not like the Mage was nothing to me. He took me in, he became my legal guardian. I looked up to him. And I thought he cared about me. All that worrying I did over how best to earn his respect, how to get him to notice me. The effort I put into pleasing him so I’d at least somewhat deserve the help he’d given me. He’d taken me out of the care system (part of the year, anyway) and helped me get into a fancy school. 

I had fawned over him for that.

I thought he was a good person and that he needed me for a battle against evil.

But it was all a lie.

He wasn’t really doing it for the “good.” And at least some of the dark creatures he warned me against, had me kill…

I don’t know if they were evil or not.

Baz isn’t evil even though he's a vampire. Nicodemus is a vampire too and he isn't evil either. He might seem a bit like a thug. Regardless of that he isn't responsible for anyone’s death — the Mage is. 

People in care see me as a thug. It doesn't mean anything what other people think. Nico was cast out so he lashed out, he adapted to the cruel world outside of Watford’s gates. I know first hand what life is on the outside. 

None of the other magicians knows what it's like — in the Normal world, where making yourself look big and scary might be the only way to survive. 

I don't know anymore who’s evil and who’s not. Why should any other creature be considered evil just because they aren't like us?

Baz is a vampire and a mage and a boy and he loves me.

Baz changes everything. My whole world’s turned upside down, and there’s no going back.

The Mage did what he did for power. My power. And he tried to turn me into a killing machine. I never questioned any of it; I just did what he said. Were those creatures even evil? I have no idea. 

I trusted him.

I thought he was helping me hone my power so I could save the world. But now I don’t know what’s true.

There’s so much confusion going on in my mind as we walk back from Ebb’s that my magic starts to smoke. Baz is looking at me warily. I squeeze his hand and breathe out. I can’t do this now; not again. I just went off yesterday. Baz needs me to be here for him.

He just found out who was behind his mother’s death. Yes, she’s been gone a long time, but he knows she’s visited and that her spirit needs justice. This has to be awakening all kinds of memories and feelings for him.

So I’m glad, really glad, when Penny insists I not attempt a break-in tonight (and Fiona agrees). Penny says she can find out from her mother when the Mage will next be safely out of town, and that that would be a good time for me to visit his office. 

I think she realizes the delay will give me a chance to pull myself together.

She told me and Baz to take it easy and spend some time together over the weekend. Try to get used to each other and maybe “talk through or process” (her words, obviously) everything we’ve just found out.

We’ll be alone, too. Baz’s Aunt Fiona wants Ty to come along to her flat for a few days, so she can get to know him better. She wants to tell him all about her sister, his grandmother Natasha. And I don’t think Baz is up to talking about his mum yet. 

When everyone else is finally gone and Baz and I are left alone to walk up the stairs to our room, we are both bone tired. So much has happened! As soon as we walk through the door I let myself fall head-first onto my bed, arms wide out. (That gets a chuckle out of Baz).

“I’m not sure it would be possible to pack more drama into the past 36 hours,” he remarks drily. He plops down beside me.

As soon as I feel him land on the bed, my body instinctively rolls over to face him. Our faces have ended up surprisingly close together. I reach out and cup his cheek softly with my hand. “Hi,” I say, kissing the tip of his nose. “I’m allowed to do this now.”

“Oh, you think so, do you?” Baz replies haughtily, as if he has the willpower to resist me (of course now I know he doesn’t). He lost his upper hand.

I flop a leg over his legs and pull him closer. “Well,” I say matter of factly, “does it make you feel better when our bodies are together? Because Penny wants us to process and heal, and this is my new favourite way of feeling better.”

Baz closes his eyes and lets me crawl atop him. I kiss him on the chin, the cheek, by his ear...his face turns toward me as his lips seek me out. When he finds me, and when our lips meet directly, we start kissing hungrily. It isn’t long before we both groan and start clutching at each other like we’re desperate and don’t know where to start.

I love how he feels. His body is leaner than mine, but so strong and hard. I run a hand down his arm and let myself feel his bicep. (That’s a nice place to start). I feel Baz’s lips smile under mine. “You’re groping me, Snow.”

That comment makes me give his lower lip a gentle tug with my teeth. “Ugh, shut up. Don’t talk about it.” But then I admit “That may have been a slight grope.”

“So how long have you been harbouring these thoughts about me?”

I almost say “since I found out we end up together”, but that answer isn’t strictly accurate. If I’m honest, this interest in Baz has been going on way longer than that. There have been many thoughts...quite a few, in recent years...that involved Baz and that I would not be comfortable saying to Penny out loud, in any detail. I mean, how long have I considered him fit? How long have I admired his perfect hair and his perfect unfreckled skin and the way his uniform looks on him? How many times has he leaned over or looked at me and left me feeling this strange twinge of excitement? 

No, the way he walks and talks and raises his eyebrow...I have these patterns memorized. The way his voice carries over to me in a crowd, so that all my attention is focused on him. The way I sometimes smell the clothes in his closet when he’s not there...

These are not strictly the kind of thoughts one has about an enemy. No, I’ve been obsessing over him for years. 

I lace my fingers in his and hold his hand loosely.

I decide to modify my answer. “I wasn’t really imagining any of that until recently. I tried not to,” I admit, “It hurts to think about things that you can’t have or help. S’better not to think about them at all.”

“Simon,” he whispers and he sounds sad. “That’s my fault.” 

“It isn't though,” I argue. “How could you have known I feel the same when I hardly knew myself.”

Baz gives my hand a gentle squeeze, “I could have been nicer to you.”

I shake my head, “We were taught to hate each other. I know everyone thought I was too dangerous,” I say and feel my throat tighten, “Even Penny’s mum who was in a political alliance with the Mage, told her to stay away from me.” Sometimes I was angry about that but mostly I agreed. I am dangerous-- and easily manipulated too, as it seems. 

“You're not dangerous, Simon. You go off when provoked or angry,” Baz states with so much resolution in his voice that I know he means it. “I should have helped you instead of poking at you. I'm sorry.”

“I'm sorry too for treating you the way I did,” I finally say back, after taking a deep breath. “We've hurt each other plenty over the years. We both deserve a clean slate.”

Baz looks at me and I'm not sure what he's thinking exactly, but it's nothing good. I don't like when he's like this. “I had a list in my head of all the things I wanted to do to you,” I admit, hoping this will get him out of his head.

Baz raises his eyebrow at me. I know I've got his attention.

“Name one,” he finally prods.

I run a hand through his hair, before sitting up to lean on my elbow and play with his hair some more. “For one, I’ve always wanted to do this.”

“I do have exceptionally well kept hair,” he chuckles but I can see the lightest shade of the dusty pink colouring his cheeks. (He’s hunted earlier in the woods, although he didn't let me watch him.)

I push myself up to a sitting position and then swing a leg over, so I’m on top of him. I take in the sight of him — Baz is very fit — and realize this isn't the first time I’ve thought that.

It's hard opening up. I don't know how to. He did ask me though so I might as well tell him. I don't want to be a coward.   
Besides, knowing that sometime in the future the two of us will have a family, a child… It makes a big difference, it soothes so many fears I’ve lived my whole life with. I will have a family. Baz is my family. 

I look into his eyes as I hover over him. “I’ve always wanted to touch you, like this. Have you look back at me,” I say, lacing the fingers of our hands together. 

“People fighting might do that, too,” Baz argues, but of course that’s nonsensical and he’s only being contrary. 

I try to raise one eyebrow up, like Baz sometimes does, but instead both my eyebrows go up (and I’m sure I look like a moron).

I want to say really sweet things to him, but I’m shy and this is new and...I’m not so good at words. So I squeeze his hand gently and move it up to my lips. I kiss the back of his hand and then flip it over, rearranging my hand on top of his, to kiss the inside of his palm. Then I start placing kisses on the soft flesh of his inner arm, moving up from his wrist toward his elbow.

“I’ve always thought you were the best looking bloke in the whole school. I’ve had dreams about you. Real soft dreams I would never tell anyone about,” I admit.

“When I first found out you were Ty’s father, and that you were with someone in the future and I didn’t know who it was... I was so jealous, Baz. I couldn’t stand the thought of you being with someone like that. I wanted it to be me. I felt...” I swallow and shake my head. “I felt like my heart was breaking.”

“Oh, Simon,” Baz says, looking up at me. I lean down and kiss him slowly, before I pull away to add, “I’m so glad it’s me you want, Baz. I’m so glad I’m Ty’s father.”

He surprises me by suddenly flipping us over. I look up at his face and almost gasp at the intense love I see in his eyes...the pure passion for me. I thought I wouldn't see these kinds of things, that I was too broken for love. I'm glad I was wrong. I can recognise the way Baz is looking at me. He is letting his walls down — for me.

“It could never be anyone else but you.”

Baz:

Lying here with Simon as the late afternoon light slants through our blinds is like nothing I’ve ever done before. His golden skin, his freckles, his unruly bronze hair, those eyes...are these really all for me to see and touch? 

We kiss and nuzzle and whisper on his bed for a long time— until it becomes impossible to ignore the rumbling of his stomach any longer. “Dinner time, Snow?”

First his eyes brighten, but then he sighs. “I suppose we better go down to eat. Makes me mad I can’t sit by you, though.”

“Well, we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”

“When this is over,” Simon says, determinedly, “we will never hide again. I am going to snog you wherever and whenever I see fit.” He blushes then and adds, “If you want to, that is.”

“When this is over I’ll let you. But try to act like normal right now. And don’t be disappointed if I don’t come back to the room right away. I have to go down to the catacombs and feed again, just in case.”

“Can I come with you?”

“Absolutely not. Now come on; let’s go.”

Bunce is waiting for him at dinner. She looks like she’s dying to tell him something. I have just a moment to wonder what she’s up to now and wish I was over there to hear it, when Dev and Niall sit down with their trays.

“What is going on?” Dev asks me. ”You're spending so much time with the Chosen One and Penelope Bunce.”

I shrug (I can't let anyone know what is going on). “It’s nothing important.” 

But Dev presses further. “It looked important enough when I saw the three of you lurking earlier, walking towards the Wavering Wood.”

Was it when we were on our way to Ebb’s? We must not have been as careful as we thought. At least Ty was concealed with a spell. 

I put an air of importance on my face and look at them both. 

“It’s Pitch business,” is all I say and let them interpret that any way they want. They exchange a look with each other but don’t say anything further to me.

Penny: 

I’d almost given up on Simon coming down to dinner (probably can’t tear his lips away from Baz) when I see him. “Simon!” I say. “Where were you?”

“Snogging Baz, obviously.”

“Well I’m glad you could pull yourselves apart for a minute. The Mage is gone somewhere. He’s cancelled his meals for the weekend so I think we can safely conclude he’s away.”

“Does that mean-?”

“Yes, Simon. He’s gone and you have the perfect opportunity to break into his office tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes. It may be better to do it sooner than later. If you find something we’ll still have the rest of the weekend to look into it before classes start on Monday.”

“Okay, but what should I be looking for?”

“Anything unusual or outside of school business. Anything that seems fishy to you.”

“I wish you could come with me.”

“You know I can’t get in there. No, it’s best you go alone. But take my mobile with you and take a picture of anything interesting you see while you’re there.”

“Okay.”

He looks around to where Baz was sitting, but Baz is already gone. “He told me he was going down to the catacombs for awhile. Guess he’s already left.” Simon squares his shoulders. “So I suppose I’ll go have a look around the Mage’s office, then.”

“Be careful, Simon.”

Simon: 

I walk alone into the Mage’s office.

Everything looks so dusty and impersonal. I don’t think he’s changed much since he first moved in after Headmistress Pitch. There’s books on the shelves, but no pictures. No plants, no art, no color anywhere to speak of.

I open the drawer of a tan file cabinet. It’s full of folders, each marked with a family name. I can tell by the names that they’re all old families. I thumb through them till I find the “Pitch” folder. I pull that one out.

Inside the folder are lists and pictures of artifacts. Some of the listed items have check marks by them...are these the treasures he’s managed to confiscate in previous raids? Some of the items are circled or underlined.

I start taking pictures.

There’s a folder for “Bunce”, too. I page through its contents and notice “The Necromicon” circled. Isn’t that the book Ty was talking about? I take a picture.

If this were a normal office there might be a picture of the Mage’s friends somewhere...possibly I would be in it. I’m his heir, right? The Chosen One.

But there’s nothing like that here, on the walls or in any of his desk drawers. Nothing to indicate I’ve made a dent in his life.

I see a pile of mail. Leafing through it, nothing seems out of the ordinary. Until I notice a slightly larger envelope that looks like a tax bill. It’s addressed to the Mage (well, to David Llewelyn), but it was directed first to an address I don’t recognize… 

Does the Mage have a second address? 

I make sure I photograph the envelope. This could be important.

Once I figure I’m done, and can’t think where else to look, I turn around from the door to scan the room one more time. 

I remember the first time I was here. Eleven years old and practically feral...I’m sure my face was still dirty from scuffling with the other boys at the home. 

The Mage had opened his middle desk drawer— the one where all the pens and paper clips are— and pulled out a mint Aero bar. He held it up in the air and his eyes twinkled before he offered it to me. I tried not to repulse him by grabbing it roughly, but there were stars in my eyes when my excited (probably grubby) hand took it from him. I was always so hungry, and the Mage was giving me chocolate, smiling down at my 11 year-old face, telling me about his vision and work, how I could be a part of all that...

As the years went by, I grew taller and he seemed...shorter. But my face stayed dirty because there were so many things to do. When he wasn’t ignoring me, he kept me busy. And wielding the sword of mages was hard, dirty work.

I turn away from his office for the last time, trying to leave the memory of that first meeting with the Mage behind. My heart is heavy. Am I 100 years old? I click the door shut behind me.

Baz:

I spend longer in the catacombs than is strictly necessary. Once I’m down there, and alone, I let my thoughts drift back to Mother.

We’re closer now, than ever, to bringing her justice. On the one hand, it’s hard to imagine the Mage was behind her death. On the other hand, it fits. But none of us will know for sure until there’s details and proof. Nico’s verbal testimony fills in some of the blanks, but it’s not enough. It’s not proof, and his claim alone would be viewed with great scepticism by the Coven. No one will believe the words of a vampire. Definitely not enough to incriminate the Mage.

But maybe after this weekend...maybe Simon will find something.

Simon. What would my mother think of Simon? What would my mother think of me with Simon?

I don’t think...I mean, the way she was back then...the way everyone was back then. I don’t think she would have accepted me this way: as a gay vampire.

But she never had a chance to grow and evolve. In my memory she’s just like she was in her thirties. She was cut down then, so I’ll never know a wiser, more accepting, time-mellowed mum. Given time, she might have developed a whole new way of looking at things.

The ghost who visited Simon in our room...she seemed to know. And she had no words of reproach to leave me.

She’d left Simon with a kiss for me.

So here I sit on the dusty stone floor of the catacombs. I think about my mother, bittersweet. “Little puff,” she’d called me. What would she have called Ty, had she been allowed to meet him? 

She would love and dote on Ty, just as I’m sure Fiona is doing this weekend. She would tell him stories and teach him spells and probably spoil him rotten.

There’s tears, but I’m not really sad anymore. How can I be sad when I have Simon? He’s probably up in our room pining for me. 

I get up and brush off my trousers—pick cobwebs out of my jumper. Time to go back to my love.

But when I unwind my way through the corridors, return to the fresh air above ground, climb the stairs up to our door and our room...it’s empty. 

Simon’s not there.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baz finds out that Simon has searched the Mage's office by himself... but he makes it back to their room okay, so Baz can't be too upset. During his search, Simon found a clue leading them to a cottage in Wales. Fiona, Nico, Baz, and Simon search the cottage and uncover the whole sordid story of Simon's parentage and birth and what was done to Natasha. The boys are devastated but Fiona takes charge. 
> 
> She has a plan.

TPTT, Chapter 10

Baz:

Why isn’t Simon here? Did he go down to the catacombs to try and find me? If these were ordinary times I might think the Mage had sent him off on a mission to kill a magickal creature.

But these aren’t ordinary times so Simon’s absence makes me worry he’s decided to go ahead and search the Mage’s office on his own, prematurely. What will happen if he runs into the Mage while he’s doing that? Will Simon try to fight the Mage?

Just as I’m starting to fear the worst and wondering if I should call Bunce, I hear heavy footsteps on the stairs and the faint smell of his smoky nerves…Snow. He’s back.

“Where in Crowley’s name were you?” I demand, as soon as he slumps through the door.

He sets Bunce’s phone down on his desk heavily. “The Mage’s office.”

“I thought Penny told you to wait-?”

“She changed the plan. If you hadn’t disappeared at dinner, I would have told you,” he adds, accusingly. “She found out from Cook Pritchard that the Mage’s gone all weekend. So she thought I should go ahead and see what I could find tonight.”

“And you went by yourself? What if something happened?”

“I’m not used to waiting around for backup, Baz.”

“Well get used to it,” I say sharply. “You’re not on your own anymore.”

He has the audacity to smile at me and shrug his shoulders. “All right.”

“Yes. Well,” I say, realizing the break-in is over and it’s silly to worry about something that he already got through just fine. “Did you find anything?”

He shakes his head dejectedly. “I don’t know. Penny had me take her mobile along for photos and I took a few. But I’m not sure if any of it will mean anything. There wasn’t anything I could see in there that was terribly remarkable. The Mage’s office is really boring. You remember how it is.”

“Yes. The man has no taste and even less imagination. So nothing at all that mentions my mother?”

“Not that I could see.”

I’m disappointed, but then I realize I haven’t seen the pictures he took. There might be more there than he realizes. “Can I see the photos?”

“Yeah, sure.” We sit down side by side on my bed as he lets me flip through Penny’s mobile.

“So he’s got his eye on the Necromicon.”

“Yeah, I noticed that. He must never end up getting it, though, since Ty is able to use it in the future.”

I pause when I get to a photo of an envelope. “It looks like a property tax bill,” Simon comments. “See the government address? But look where it’s addressed to. Where’s that? Why is something being sent to the Mage there?”

Why indeed? “That’s a very interesting question. Have you shown Bunce yet?”

“No, but she’s coming by any minute to get her phone back…”

“Knock knock,” Bunce says, as she suddenly walks through the door.

“Oh, hi, Penny,” Simon says, as if there’s nothing remarkable about a girl suddenly showing up in Mummers.

Penny:

When Simon shows me the strange address now associated with the Mage’s name, I get excited. This could mean something big. We have to find out where this place is. 

It’s in Wales. We search for a visual of it on Google maps, but all we find there is a large pixelated wooded area; the satellite image isn’t close enough to provide any detail. But there seems to be a little clearing and possibly the footprint of a structure poking out from the trees. A house?

“I’m calling Fiona,” I announce. (Baz looks surprised when he sees I have her in my contacts).

“Fiona!” I say. “Do you know anything about the Mage having a house in Wales?”

“No, but he is Welsh…it wouldn’t surprise me if he had ties there.”

“Simon found a tax bill addressed to the Mage for a property in Wales. Can you help us make a trip there tomorrow? So we can see for ourselves? The Mage is gone all weekend on one of his raids.”

“I know,” I hear Fiona say sharply. “He’s raiding Pitch Manor as we speak.”

Baz’s face turns white. “He’s what-?”

“Don’t worry, Basil,” she shouts through the phone. “He isn’t going to find a goddamn thing. We knew he’d get around to us, sooner or later.”

“Give me the phone, Bunce,” Baz demands. Once I hand it over, he asks Fiona, “So can you come here tomorrow and magic us all to Wales?”

“I’ll spell Make Way For the King and Ty and I will be there by 7 am. I’ll ring Nico up; he can meet us for back up.”

“Okay, 7,” Baz says, looking at Simon. “That’s early, but... okay.”

He hangs up with her and gives me my phone back.

“I guess we all better get some sleep if we’re getting up that early,” I say. “That means no snogging, Simon.”

Simon, not usually the quickest thinker when it comes to words, doesn’t miss a beat. “That means minimal snogging. Got it.”

I start to object and correct him, but he’s already grinning and pushing me out the door.

**********

Baz:

The next morning I wake up to my alarm. Simon and I had spent our last few hours awake last night kissing and laying by each other in my bed, but then he’d dutifully returned to his side of the room so we could both get some actual rest. I lay in bed looking at him for a minute, remembering everything that’s transpired for us these past couple of days and thinking about the journey ahead. But then I push back the covers and make my way to the ensuite.

Simon got up on his own while I was in the shower, because when I come out he’s already up and dressed. “Morning, Baz,” he says. “Do you think Fiona will have some food for us?”

“I wouldn’t count on her to think of something like that. There’s some crisps under my bed, though, if you want those.”

“I think I already ate the ones you’re talking about.”

“Well then why don’t you run down to the kitchen and get something. We still have maybe half an hour.”

“Isn’t the kitchen locked till 7?”

“I’m sure Cook Pritchard will let you in early if you ask nicely.”

In half an hour we are standing by the White Chapel. Penny’s met us there, and she’s the first to spot Fiona’s car on the horizon. “Fiona and Ty are here!” she calls.

Fiona’s long sleek car pulls up quietly. She and Ty step out and greet us. 

“So what’s the plan?” I ask.

“Well, I’ve talked to Ebb and Ty can stay with her until we’re back. Penelope has kindly offered to stay back with Ty as well.”

“Perfect. So it’s just the three of us?”

“Nico’s meeting us on the way.”

“Did you enjoy your stay at Fiona’s, Ty?” I ask. I see she’s taken him clothes shopping; he has a whole new outfit on, a rich royal blue jumper and skinny jeans. Is that appropriate attire for a child? I should have a talk with Fiona about this.

“Oh yes. She’s been catching me up on pop culture. Your music and such. And we watched the telly a bit,” Ty answers.

“Did she feed you anything?” Simon asks, almost wistfully. 

“Of course I fed him, Chosen One,” Fiona snaps impatiently. “But let’s leave off the chatter. We’re meeting Nico at The Gallows and Vine at ten.”

“Well let us know immediately if you find something,” Penny says quickly, giving me a hug. “Hopefully today we get some answers.”

Fiona:

Apparently I’m the chauffeur...Basil sits in the back seat, by the Chosen One. Basil’s sitting against the window as Simon scrunches against him, leaning his head on Basil’s shoulder and playing forlornly with Basil’s fingers. They stay pretty quiet, looking out the window occasionally.

I have David Bowie on as we “Make Way For the King” across the countryside. There’s very little traffic and we’re making excellent time.

I am strangely excited to be driving toward our rendezvous with Nico. Ever since seeing him again and learning that he isn’t an absolute twat I’ve been having all kinds of fond recollections about our time together, years ago. I’ve also had a thought or two about the idea that he’d gone so far as to buy me a ring (though of course the bastard never gave it to me...it’s at the bottom of a well somewhere).

The attraction between the two of us had always been strong. He was trouble, I was trouble...the two of us together made sense. 

When we finally pull up to The Gallows and Vine, it’s almost ten. Nico’s nowhere in sight, but that doesn’t mean a thing. He knows how to keep a low profile. 

At ten on the nose a black car pulls out behind us. It’s an old jalopy, loud and followed by a cloud of black smoke. (I doubt it’ll make it all the way to Wales. Nico will have to ride in the front next to me).

He must think the same thing, too, because once he sees I have room in the car he parks off the road behind a tree. He says, by way of greeting, “Spell her invisible, eh Fiona?” before hopping in the front beside me. He almost seems chipper.

“Fine,” I say, grimacing. He slams the door shut and his dangerous bulk fills the seat beside me. I catch the waft of his scent. It’s different now, but there’s also a tang of something familiar...a musky undertone I haven’t forgotten. “Right. Let’s go.” 

And we continue on together.

******

Simon: 

Fiona’s spelled our drive so crazy fast I know the trip to Wales won’t take long. Still, I really want it to be over...I want this day done. If we could just find the proof we need to put the Mage away, then I could get him out of my life once and for all. Maybe I wouldn’t have this curdling ball of anxiety in the pit of my stomach. 

I want to be alone with Baz so I can crawl into his arms. That’s the kind of puzzle I want to figure out…how to get closer to Baz. But this thing we’re doing today...I know we have to do it; I know it’s important we do it. But I feel like we’re driving toward danger, and that it’s not the kind of danger I can protect anyone from with my sword. 

It’s the kind of danger that will make Baz cry. And it’s the kind of danger that will wreck me inside...make me go off.

And then we’re there. Fiona takes the spell off her car and we drive normal-speed along what is really only a dirt path, barely wide enough for a vehicle. She drives slowly so we can look around us, I think — take it all in.

To someone like me, who’s lived in the city all my life, this looks like wilderness. The address we found on that envelope in the Mage’s office has led us very clearly to this spot in the middle of nowhere...this very ordinary-looking cottage. 

We don’t get out of the car right away. We look around us, first. 

Nobody mows the grass here. Some of the windows are boarded up. From the outside it looks like desolation. It looks abandoned.

“Come on, Simon,” Baz says gently, lightly touching my arm. “Let’s get out and stretch our legs.”

“Yes.”

I hear frogs and crickets. It must be wet somewhere near. “Do you think the door’s locked?” I ask.

“Doesn’t matter,” Baz replies. “We’ll spell it open.”

The door is bolted and the windows (the ones that aren’t boarded up) are locked, as well. Fiona uses her wand to get us inside quickly.

Inside is dark and dusty. We can’t find a light switch. “Is there even electricity here?” Fiona asks, incredulously.

After a minute our eyes adjust. It’s messy and impersonal-looking, just like his office is…except every now and then we see something surprising. The first thing we gravitate towards are some framed pictures on a bookshelf.

“Who is this?” I ask. I’m looking at an old picture of a young woman, not much older than me. She has long curly blonde hair. She’s standing by a picture of a man...the Mage? He could have looked like that a long time ago. He has his arm around her and she’s resting a hand on her stomach.

It looks like she’s going to have a baby.

“That’s Lucy,” Fiona says, grimly. “Lucy Salisbury. She was the Mage’s girlfriend after high school, back when he was still just ‘Davy’. She was older than me, but I remember her. A very pretty girl.”

“What happened to her?” I ask.

“I think she ran off to America. ‘Davy’ was probably a dick, even then.”

“Was she pregnant?” I ask, pointing at her stomach.

“I don’t remember that part,” Fiona says thoughtfully.

“Fiona,” Baz says, calling us from across the room. He’s standing before a table, flipping through an old notebook. “I got this from a box over there,” Baz says. “There’s dozens of these notebooks in the box, and this one’s full of hand-written spells.”

“Merlin,” I say. That’s 10x more personal than anything we found back in the Mage’s office.

“I think this is something, too,” Nico says softly. He’s flipping through a small leatherbound book. “It’s a diary.” He frowns, reading. “Not the Mage’s, though. Someone else’s. Lucy’s, I think.”

Fiona strides over to him and takes the diary. “You help Baz look through the spellwork. I’m reading this.”

“What should I do, Fiona?” I ask.

“Just keep poking around for anything that looks odd...anything at all.”

So I kind of float around the room opening drawers and cupboard doors, as they read. It feels strange to be poking around the Mage’s private things like this, and I’m a bit on edge. Just as I move aside to avoid a floorboard that’s buckled up and coming loose, I bump into a shelf. It wobbles and some books fall out of it with an embarrassing crash. “Okay, Simon?” Baz calls from across the room. “Yeah, fine,” I mutter, bending down to pick up the books.

There’s a loose paper in one of them. I wouldn’t have noticed it if the book hadn’t been flipped open during the fall. I tug it out curiously and see that it’s a letter. The pen ink has faded but I can still make out what it says.

“Dear Mum,

I know you’ve gotten all kinds of letters from me in the past, telling you all about my wonderful life and how happy I am. And some days I really believe that.

But not most days. Not now.

I’m going to have a baby, Mum. Any day now. I didn’t let you know before because I wasn’t married and I know you don’t like the father. You’ve never thought that Davy was good enough for me.

But I love him so much. I thought I could change him, make him happier...something. And maybe this baby will do that for him.

I’ve wanted to tell you about this for so long. I want you to be happy for me. Merlin knows I could use your help. (I don’t know what I’m doing). We live so far out in the country I don’t even know if there will be a doctor here when the baby’s born. I'm not sure if Davy will want to risk anyone finding out about our baby. I hope I know what to do. 

I’m scared. Mum, maybe when you get this you could come for me.

I’ve been thinking about names. I suppose the last name will have to be mine, because I’m not married and Davy wants to keep us a secret. But I want his first name to be “Simon.” Mum, isn’t that sweet?

And I want him to have a fun middle name. Something silly and happy, kind of the opposite of Davy, right? He’s always so serious and angry.

I think “Snow” would make a wonderful middle name…”

The letter drops from my hand and floats down soundlessly, but the book I was still holding makes a thump when it drops.

“Simon!” Baz calls. “Everything alright? Have you found something?”

*******

Fiona:

The next few hours are a blur. Everything we learn in that cottage is devastating.

Simon discovered for himself that he’s the natural child of Lucy Salisbury and David Lewellyn. Which is a revelation in itself because it means that all this time Simon’s been in care homes, barely scraping by...he had a wealthy and powerful parent who could have taken him in at any time but chose not to.

Magicians never abandon their children...but that’s just what Davy did with Simon.

And the reason for that becomes evident once Baz and Nico have gone through the Mage’s spell notes. He was trying to create a Chosen One...he was using dark magic to make his baby with Lucy a direct vehicle for the power he wanted to have.

It’s the kind of illegal act that would condemn the Mage. 

But it also underlines the unnaturalness of Simon’s power. It makes him seem less like the answer to a prophecy and more like a weapon. 

This could turn the Coven against Simon. 

The Mage’s notes tell the story. Simon was bred to be the “Chosen One”... so he could boost the Mage’s power. But Simon’s abilities are volatile, and the Mage hasn’t figured out how best to use him yet. So raw magic bubbles out of Simon, and as he goes about Watford trying to be a student like any other, he’s essentially a walking, living bomb. Simon hasn’t done anything wrong, but that doesn’t make him less dangerous. He could go off accidentally at any time, or he could be used as a weapon by the Mage or any other powerful wizard once they figure out how to manipulate and use him.

If the Coven understood this danger, they would act swiftly. They would remove Simon from the student population and possibly the magickal community.

But I can’t let that happen, now that Basil is in love with him. And I know from Ty’s coming here that Simon will not really be a danger to the magickal community… only to himself. He goes on to have a family with my nephew. So I will act to protect Simon.

I’ll see that Davy’s notes regarding Simon are burned.

As it is, we don’t need to keep evidence of the Mage’s illegal spellwork regarding Simon, in order to have something to convict the Mage. As deep and dark as his crimes against Lucy and Simon were, we find proof of something worse.

Proof of my sister’s murder. 

We discover that the Mage, in his arrogance and relentless drive to the top, has left behind a written record of the collateral damage...her death. We find it in the form of an indestructible magickal contract he’d created when he hired vampires to attack Watford. The vampires didn’t trust the Mage, so they’d insisted the reward for their dark deed be in writing-- his promise that they could live undisturbed in London, no matter how far he carried his campaign against dark creatures.

The deal was that they would attack Watford on 12 August 2002.

That’s the day the nursery was attacked. That’s the day my sister died.

He thought the contract was hidden from the eyes of the magickal world, abandoned out here in the middle of nowhere under the boards of this old cottage. But my Basil has clever eyes and discovered the loose floorboard...

The Mage will burn in hell for this. But first he’ll be overthrown, stripped of power, and cast out; I’ll see to that.

Simon:

I can’t stop looking at this picture of Lucy...my mother.

Where is she? 

Why did she leave me?

Will I ever meet her?

These questions mean so much to me, I can’t even say them out loud. Baz is nearby but he has his own stuff to worry about. And he’s talking to Fiona and Nico about something in hushed voices. So I keep looking at Lucy, as if the answer to it all is somewhere in her smile or the way she tilts her head away from Davy.

My father. The Mage.

“Simon,” Baz is saying. “Listen, Simon. Fiona found something in the diary. We don’t think Lucy is alive anymore.”

He tells me that the diary records she didn’t have much to eat. Sometimes she was hungry enough to eat the chicken food. And the Mage had used magic during the night I was conceived, as well as throughout Lucy’s pregnancy. 

He wanted me, his child, to be strong, but the magic he used to attain that ate up Lucy’s strength. After a while he knew Lucy wouldn’t make it, and he expressed regret to her. 

“He feels bad, Mum.” (She would write letters to her mum in the diary). “He loves me; I still believe that, Mum. But he tells me my strength has to go to Simon right now, and I suppose he’s right. All that matters is our precious baby.”

“If I die, Davy will bury me under the chestnut tree. And he’ll take care of our baby. He promised he’ll bring him to you, just as soon as he can.”

“I won’t last much longer, Mum. I’m so tired and all I want to do is sleep. But Simon is still kicking around inside me like a little hero. All the strength goes to him, and that’s how it should be. Davy says he’ll save the magickal world.”

“This doesn’t mean she really died!” I shout.

“There’s a chestnut tree out back,” Nico says, grimly. “And an unmarked headstone.”

“No!”

Baz is holding me, trying to smooth down my rising panic and grief. I bury my face into his shoulder and sob. Fiona and Nico step away to give us room.

I hear her say, “The bastard killed both their mothers.”

When things have quieted down...when I’m numb again, Fiona returns.

“Here’s what we’re going to do. From here on, Nico and I will take care of everything. We’re going to start by talking to the Mage.”

“Talk to him-??” Baz sputters. “What? Why?”

“Because we know everything about him, now. We can expose him. We’ll send him slinking away or else he’ll have to face the Coven.”

“That’s mad, Fiona. He’ll kill you.”

“Fine, so you cast a bunch of protection spells over us. But you are never going to speak to the Mage again, do you hear me, Basilton? And you...Simon,” she says, her voice turning gentle. “I won’t try to tell you what to do. But Ty needs both his fathers and so I ask you to leave this to me.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fiona drives the boys back to Mummers. She formulates a plan for dealing with the Mage. Nico admits he’s made a mistake in giving her up.

TPTT, Chapter 11

Simon:

We stay a while longer to comb through the cottage and find every last bit of incriminating evidence we can use against the Mage. Fiona takes care to look for any leftover details that could be traced back to my mother...she doesn’t think that my parentage is anyone’s business, at this point. And I’m so numb to what’s going on I don’t have an opinion about any of it, yet...for now all I want is to go back to Mummers and fall into Baz’s arms.

After everything that’s happened, and after finding Baz, I keep turning to him. I can’t keep my hands off Baz...I want to lay by him all the time. His touch instantly makes me feel better. (I’m just lucky he seems to want my touch as much as I want his. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to keep my hands to myself, now that I know he’s mine and that he loves me).

I’ve spent years fighting creature after dark creature, all alone, at the bidding of the Mage. I never questioned it; I just had to do it, and the instructions he gave me were minimal. Also the protection he gave me (I’m realizing)... was minimal. But now that Fiona’s involved she's giving me permission to not endanger myself…to go home and be safe. She’s telling me to put my sword away and let her do what’s next. And it’s not like she’s a gentle person, or particularly kind-- apparently that’s the normal order of things. That’s what kids and grown-ups generally do. It’s an unfamiliar way of doing things, for me, and strange...but it’s also a huge relief. 

Fiona wants me to go back to Mummer’s and be a kid. And snog her nephew Basil (crowley-- that’s a development).

With Fiona, all the rules are rearranged. I had attempted to leave things undisturbed when I broke into the Mage’s office at Watford, scared that he would notice something was “off” and come after me. But Fiona tells us not to bother with covering up our visit to his cottage. She has no intention of tiptoeing around him. She says she’s going to hit him, bam, bam, bam, with the truth. And hard choices. We don’t need to conceal our visit.

So we take the boxes of spellwork, Lucy — my mother’s — journal, her letter I found in the book, and the picture of her pregnant and standing next to the Mage.

And of course we take the contract he signed with the vampires. The imprint of his magic has been left all over that piece of evidence. There’s no way he’ll be able to deny his involvement.

Baz and I agreed we would let Fiona talk to the Mage (to be honest, I don’t know if I could talk to the Mage now without going off). She doesn’t want us anywhere near him, though of course we’ll be within easy reach for him at Watford (something she doesn’t like one bit, but has to put up with, for now). 

At first Nico wanted to go with her for the talk with the Mage, have it be the two of them, but she convinced him that would be a bad idea. His magic isn’t strong anymore; when he was Turned the Coven took his wand away and snapped it. She says he wouldn’t be much help to her in a fight (he sniffs at that; he’s offended). But then Fiona adds that it’s better not to “play all our cards at once,” and that part he agrees with. Baz says Nico’s spent a long time in the shadows and so sees the value of continuing there a while longer.

She must realize we’re listening to them from the back because all of a sudden she lifts her wand and mutters an incantation. And we can’t hear their conversation anymore. I object to that, at first, but then Baz convinces me to enjoy the peace and quiet. And I do…I snuggle up to him and plant my hand on his thigh. (He blushes but lets me do it, and I think we are both quite content with not hearing Fiona’s conversation anymore).

After we drop Nico off at his car, Fiona undoes the silencing spell and she and Baz talk about another reason to leave Nico out of her conversation with the Mage...our alliance with him has to be secret. If the Mage knew he was interfering and helping us, Nico would be in great danger. And we need to protect Nico (not only because that’s the right thing to do) but also because he will probably be the pathway for sending Ty back to the future. (We haven’t worked out exactly how or when we should send Ty back... and we haven’t talked to Nico about it, either). 

It’s hard to imagine how we’re going to send Ty back to the future. I know grown-up Baz and I, twenty years from now, will want our son back, so clearly we can’t just ignore the problem. But without Nico giving up his life again, how will we manage it? Will a younger Nico, whose sister is still alive and whose life isn’t total shit yet, be willing to give up his life for someone he’s only just met?

Fiona:

The boys are mostly silent on the way back to The Gallows and Vine, lost in their own thoughts, perhaps — or possibly eavesdropping as Nico and I try to hash things out. I finally spell a sound barrier between the front seat and the back seat, to eliminate that possibility.

“I still don’t see why you’re going to waste your time talking to Davy,” Nico says, bitterly. “He’s rotten to the core, and if you threaten his power he’ll do what he can to destroy you.”

“Yes, but I see us as having at least two objectives, here. We want Davy out of power, but not dead. That’s one…”

“Why can’t he be dead?” Nico interrupts, not unreasonably.

“Because he’s Simon’s father and his death will mess Simon up. His is one of the deaths that Tyrannus came back to stop.”

“Well if I had a father that bloody evil I wouldn’t care if he was dead.” Nico’s being stubborn, now.

“That’s you. Apparently that’s not our noble Chosen One.”

“Makes the whole thing ridiculously harder.”

I smile a little, at that. He’s right.

I glance over at Nico, and he looks worried. What’s this?

“I think it’s a terrible idea for you to talk to the Mage alone,” Nico says, flatly.

“Even with a dozen of Ebb’s protection spells whispered over me? You know how strong she is.”

“Davy’s ruthless.”

“So am I.”

“Fi,” he says, moving as if to reach for my hand. He stops. He takes his hand back. “I wish I could take it all back. I wouldn’t do the same... if I could do it all again. You know that, right?”

“Of course you regret it; you lost your power.”

“I lost you.”

I will not look at him. I will not look at him. (We do not have time for this bullshit).

I look at him.

He may be a vampire but he can still look soft when he wants to. That thought interrupts my driving focus enough that I swerve slightly (very slightly; I quickly recover) but the boys look up to see what’s going on. I wave at them and give an apologetic little shrug in the rearview mirror. 

“Too late for regrets,” I sigh. 

“Yeah; I know. Just thought I’d put it out there and say it.”

“Your comment is noted.” I give him a sideways smirk and he looks away, pleased.

I’m glad I spelled that conversation away from the boys’ ears. They might have easily mistook that exchange for some kind of flirtation. And hell if I’m going to be flirting with Nico. 

Baz:

Simon is suspicious when Fiona first spells their conversation silent from us. “Why’d she do that? What are they up to?”

I explain that Fiona and Nico used to be an item. And that there may be some unresolved feelings there.

“Yeah?” Simon huffs, before allowing, “Well, I suppose even old people have feelings.”

“That’s what I’m told.”

“It’s kind of disgusting, though.” Simon’s scrunching his face, and I laugh.

“Someday you and I will be glad that ‘old people’ have feelings. When we’re their age and we’re an old married couple, we’ll be glad that it all didn’t end once we turned thirty.”

Simon grabs my hand and squeezes it. “I know. I’m mostly just teasing.” 

We’re silent a minute before he adds, “I get why Ty came back, now. I really do. All this stuff I’m finding out is pretty overwhelming. I don’t know how I’d handle seeing the Mage kill Ebb, on top of it. And then killing him...my own father. That’s messed up. It’s all so messed up.”

“I know,” I say. “I think about how if the Mage hadn’t sent the vampires to Watford, my mother would be alive and I wouldn’t be a vampire.”

“Yes,” Simon nods, sympathetically.

“But there’s another way to look at it, Simon.”

“What other way could there possibly be? That’s what happened.”

“If it wasn’t for the Mage, there wouldn’t have been you. And I love you, Simon. I’m glad you were born.”

He looks at me, and his eyes go wide. His face flushes as he leans forward and kisses me. “I can’t imagine not meeting you, Baz, not getting to this point in my life. All that shit happened, but if it led to this...crowley, I don’t care,” before hastily adding, “I mean, if I could take back your mother’s death, I would. That would never have happened. If my— if the Mage hadn’t been so power-hungry I could have had normal power and we still could have met…”

“Who knows how things would have changed if the Mage hadn’t been so power-hungry.”

“It’s messed up because I guess I have the power he wanted,” Simon says. “But I don’t want want so much. I love magic but this much power’s been a hassle for me.”

“Hey,” I say to Simon softly, pulling him closer. “Everything that came before led you to Watford and then to me.” I give him a squeeze. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way. The Crucible put us together and I don’t ever want to be apart.”

He buries his face in my neck and I swallow because I love him so much.

Fiona:

I drop the boys off at Mummers before heading back to Ebb’s place to collect Ty and Bunce. “Fiona, you’re back!” she yells, excitedly. “Did everything go okay? Did you find something? What happened??”

“Settle down, Penelope. I haven’t even had a cup of tea yet.”

I don’t tell them everything, but I tell them enough. That Simon has discovered who his parents are (though I emphasize to all of them that that must remain a closely guarded secret). I let them know that we found evidence that the Mage was behind Natasha’s death and that I will be taking care of the next part myself. The kids’ responsibility will be to keep Ty safe and hidden at Mummers, until it’s time to send him back.

I offer to give them a ride back to school, but they want to walk back. And it really isn’t far. I’m relieved once they finally go, because I have lots to talk about with Ebb. I want to talk about the circumstances of Simon’s birth with her and see what she knows about Lucy. Also I’m going to need a heavy dose of her protection spells before I go talk to Davy.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fiona confronts the Mage with her knowledge of what he’s done. He tries to stop her, but Ebb’s protection spells are strong and she escapes. Fiona tells Mitali what’s going on and asks for her help.

TPTT, Chapter 12

Fiona:

I stayed with Ebb for hours as she whispered and fervently muttered ten different protection spells over me, all to prepare for this confrontation I insist on having with the Mage. The last protection spell she did whipped her blonde hair up into a frenzy...she said it would seal everything she’d already spelled, and I believe it...the magic was just blowing out of her as she cast “You shall not touch her. You shall not have her. No, for she is like the sea to douse every flame of every malice you throw at her.”

I’ve never felt so full of magic or so confident (and I’m no shy wallflower). I have been very well-protected by Ebb, I know, but it won’t last. I need to have this talk with the Mage quickly, while the magic’s fresh.

Letting Nico back into our lives has stirred something up in both me and Ebb. I feel the difference. We thought we were done with him, forever, but now he’s back. We’d tried to close the door to him because we thought we had to, but now it’s as if his dirty black boot is stuck in the door and we’re letting the access to our hearts stay pried open a crack.

My mind is fantasizing about letting him in again in other ways, too.

I thank Ebb for her efforts and go home. The Mage should be back in his office tomorrow; I’ll seek him out then.

Simon:

Fiona’s going to talk to the Mage today. She wants me and Baz to skip class and take Ty over to Ebb’s. She says Ebb will protect us from any sudden lashing out the Mage decides to do once he’s been confronted.

I imagine Ebb will lock us in her barn and start muttering spells over us, but she doesn’t. Instead she puts us to work. She has us carry water out to the goats and help her take them out to pasture, so they can graze by the sheep.

Baz’s dad is a farmer and Ty says that Baz himself ends up a farmer someday, so presumably Ty has spent time on a farm. But it must not be the kind of farming that involves walking in a muddy field alongside small animals. Because herding goats seems to be a new experience for both Baz and Ty. It’s fun to watch those two step over piles of fresh manure with their posh shoes and get slobbered on by curious goats. But before long Ty laughs, delighted, and his dark blue eyes sparkle. A smiling Ty leads to a smiling Baz, and pretty soon we’re all getting unabashedly dirty in the muddy field (Baz knows full well he can spell us all clean later).

And I let myself forget everything. I let myself play with…  
play with the goats and my family. 

I had no family before...except maybe Penny. The Mage is my father, but not really...not in any of the ways that matter. I see that now. But my son and the man I’ll marry someday...they are my family. And I just can’t get over that, being out here with the two of them. They’re both so beautiful and elegant...how am I a part of that? But I am, and they look at me like I’m the sun, like my smiles are the most important smiles in the universe.

Fiona:

Well, here I go.

It’s a new day, the Mage is back, and I’m standing outside his office door.

I give a tap on the cracked open door.

“Come in,” he calls. When I push the door open, he looks up at me, surprised. “Fiona Pitch.”

“Yes, hello, David.”

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“May I have a private moment with you?”

“Shut the door.”

I step inside; I’ve been invited (though I could have entered whether I’d been invited or not; the wards that Tasha put on this office were set to let me in). I let the door click behind me as he looks on expectantly. “May I?” I ask, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

“Yes, please. Have a seat. Is this about the raid?”

He thinks I’m here to complain about the latest raid on Pitch Manor. “Actually, no, although it does seem rather rude to break into and search a family’s home announced.”

“If we announced ourselves, forbidden relics would be hidden. As it was,” he says, frowning, “we found nothing additional this last time.”

“Of course you didn’t. The Pitches are above reproach.”

“Are they? My mistake, then. Still, it won’t hurt to keep checking on the Old Families occasionally, anyway. Think of it as a social call.”

“I will not. None of us do. But then, you aren’t familiar with the feeling of having a home of yours invaded and searched by outsiders, are you? Not yet, anyway.”

“My apartment and this office are an open book.”

“Yes, I’m sure they are. But how about your property in Wales?”

His face darkens significantly. “What.”

“You know, that charming little cottage you have in Brecon.”

He looks as if he’s deciding whether or not to deny owning it, but quickly realizes that’s pointless since I seem to know all about it. “And how do you know about that?”

“Because I recently paid it a visit. But no one was there. Pity.”

“Why don’t you get to the point, Fiona. What’s this about?”

“I know everything, Davy. I know all about what you did to Natasha.”

He inhales sharply and I see him reach for his wand. “You know nothing.”

“You’re the one who hired vampires to attack Watford. I know it and soon everyone in the Coven will know it.”

“If that’s so, then why are you here talking to me first? What do you propose to gain from that?”

“I have a deal for you.”

He leans back in his chair and lightly balances his wand between two hands. He’s trying to look amused, but I’m not buying it. “What are you proposing?”

“That you turn yourself in to the Coven and willingly hand over your wand. That you resign from your position as head master of Watford and confess to your involvement in my sister’s murder.”

“Ha! Is that all?” his voice is dripping with sarcasm and unfiltered venom. “But why should I do any of that? It’s all a lie.” (I suppose he adds that in case I’m recording him).

“Because if you do, the worst thing that happens to you is you lose power. And it could be so much worse. I could make it so much worse.”

“How do you fancy you could do that?”

“I know how you made Simon,” I say in a low voice, making sure he feels the full significance of that. “I know how you used Lucy to create a dangerous and illegal distortion in the magickal universe. Your dark arts made Simon what he is, and that’s no doubt the illegal blunder that created the Humdrum. Anyone with half a brain will see that when they know what you’ve done to your own son. If you don’t turn yourself in I’ll tell him what you are. And I’ll tell the Coven everything you’ve done. Then everyone will want to kill you. Do you fancy losing your son and your own life?”

He laughs. “You’ve miscalculated, Fiona. You think I give a rat’s ass what Simon thinks? Go ahead and tell Lucy’s defective child whatever you want. Tell the Coven. They’re all useless idiots. The Coven doesn’t have the will or desire to do anything hard...to take an unpleasant action against me.” His words are heavy with contempt as he spits them out.

I’m disgusted by what he’s just said but I need to be sure he’s not bluffing. Is he really so unattached to Simon? “Would you really like the circumstances of Simon’s birth made known to everyone? They’ll turn on him too, you know. They’ll see him as an abomination and a danger and they’ll destroy him too.”

“Not likely. But even if they did. What makes you think I care?”

“You would break his heart, rake him through the coals, just so you could hang onto power?”

He looks impatient. “I honestly don’t have anything against the boy. But I will do what’s best for me without any reference to him whatsoever. Just as I have always done.”

He stands. His wand is pointed directly at me. “You underestimate me, Fiona. I had no idea you were such a headstrong idiot. It’s surprising, but also very entertaining. Do you really think you can just walk in here and say all this, and then walk back out? No, you’re not going anywhere. I’m going to enjoy watching you die.”

I don’t even have to hear his spell or raise my wand to deflect the blow he sends my way. An unseen force field bounces it off and sends it back toward him. He moves aside and it blows a hole through the wall behind him.

I stand, now. “I’m sorry we couldn’t see eye to eye on this, Davy.” I hear him hurl a series of furious spells at me as I step back toward the door. None of them touch me, because Ebb is amazing and has apparently been very thorough in anticipating the various types of malice that Davy Llewellyn might concoct.

Once through the door I beat a hasty retreat. Outside the sky is turning overcast. I hurry over to Ebb’s.

We’ve no time to lose.

Baz:

Simon, Ty and I are resting against some bales of hay in the goat barn when Fiona returns. She is running toward us fast, almost as a flash of wind. That's not bad for a woman her age. She’s almost forty. Her face looks fixed and determined.

“Fiona!” I cry as we all stumble up. “What happened?”

“We’ve no time to lose,” she says, striding through the cottage to a wooden barrel by the stove. “Ebb,” she calls, and suddenly Ebb is here, too, her eyes doing a quick wellness check up and down Fiona’s trembling body. “I’m fine,” Fiona huffs. “But we need to burn everything concerning the circumstances of Simon’s birth. And I’m going to take the Mage’s contract with the vampire’s with me. I’m going to take it to Mitali.”

Ebb opens a biscuit tin; inside she’s stashed a sheet of yellowed paper...the contract. “Here,” she says, handing it to Fiona.

“Remember. Burn everything that will hurt Simon. Until nothing but ashes are left, and then get rid of the ashes.”

And with that she flies out the door.

Mitali:

I’m in my study, going over some papers from work. I hear a pounding at the door and open it to find a breathless Fiona.

“Mitali,” she says. “Forgive me for popping by unannounced, but there’s no time. I don’t know what he’s going to do first, but he’s going to do something.”

“Who? What on earth are you talking about, Fiona?”

“The Mage.” I say, and I’m embarrassed because my voice sounds frightened (I shouldn’t sound frightened; I should sound deadly).

“What’s happened?”

I do my best to compose myself. I tell her about breaking into the Mage’s cottage and finding a contract of the agreement between the vampires of London and the Mage. I told her that Nico could confirm that the Mage was involved in Natasha’s death and that the Mage will do anything to keep power. People will die if we don’t act.

Mitali listens to everything I have to say, but she seems to sense there’s also a lot I’m not saying. I show her the contract and she holds onto it to read its magic. Of course the Mage’s magic and dark spells are all over it which is another crime in itself. Dark magic is banned. There’s no denying that it’s genuine.

“This is a very serious accusation, indeed,” she says. “But how did all this come about? What led you to this information? How in the world did you become reacquainted with Nicodemus?” She frowns. “That part especially needs explaining, Fiona. You know he’s struck from the book, no one from our world is allowed to contact him. How did it come about that you saw him again?”

I do some internal calculations. How much, if anything do I need to reveal about Simon and Ty?

I decide: none of it, if I keep the focus on the contract. That’s all the Coven needs to know to justify ousting the Mage.

“I just couldn’t let go of thinking about the odd circumstances of my sister’s death, and the vampires. I mean, they don’t normally behave like that, do they? And I… I ran into Nico, in London. And he confirmed to me that an arrangement had been made. The Mage had approached him first, but he would have nothing to do with it because he felt loyal to Watford. But then when he heard about an attack that involved other vampires, he knew the Mage had found somebody else to deal with.”

“That conveniently makes Nico sound very innocent.”

“That’s why I knew I’d need more proof than Nico’s word. So I started searching around Wales for...something. I didn’t know what. I knew Davy was from Wales, so that seemed like a good place to start. And then I found out he had inherited property there. I went there to look around…”

“You broke into his property.”

“Yes,” I said. “I had to know. It was my sister, Mitali.”

“I know,” she said, relaxing the formality of her tone, a little. “Her death was a loss for Watford. I may never have agreed with her politically. But when it came to school, no one took that as seriously and was as devoted to education as your sister.”

“When I found the contract, I knew for sure that the Mage was involved.” I swallow. “Mitali. I’ve already spoken to the Mage about this.”

She looks flabbergasted. “Why in the world would you do that?”

“I don’t know,” I answered, honestly. “I thought maybe he’d admit it. I wanted him to tell me to my own face what he’d done.”

“But if what you say is true…” she looks down at the contract, and her face hardens. “This contract is real, so it must be true. But now you’ve spoken to him, so he has been warned. He’ll be on his guard. Ah; this is very serious.”

“But do you believe me? Will you help?”

“The Mage needs to answer these accusations. I will summon the Coven immediately.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitali calls the Coven. They summon the Mage, and he is forced to answer the accusations against him. Baz helps Simon calm his nerves during the confrontation. Fiona is invited to join the Coven.

TPTT, Chapter 13

Mitali: 

As soon as I accept the truth of what Fiona’s revealed concerning the Mage, my mind starts tabulating a list of what needs to be done.

I place a ward on the room, so that only the Coven members and Mage will be able to enter this space (he will come with his men; I know him well enough to expect that. But only he will be able to enter).

I summon the Coven first, so that they can be briefed before his arrival. In years past that would have involved lengthy spellwork, but today all I need to do is use my mobile, and within two hours everyone’s gathered.

I keep my lips tightly sealed until the whole group’s assembled. That’s our standard protocol. Everyone looks a bit nervous, glancing at each other for a hint of what’s going on, probably hoping it’s nothing untoward that they’ve done, come to light. A small smile tugs at my lips at that insight, but I keep my face neutral. There must be no suggestion that this is anything other than deadly serious. And so I stay silent, giving a curt nod to each new arrival.

Once we’re all gathered together as a body, I address the group. I keep my tone firm and business-like, but internally I’m a bit unsteady. This is no small undertaking we embark on tonight. 

I begin. “I’ve gathered you together today because information of a most alarming nature has been brought to light. This information concerns the circumstances surrounding the death of Watford’s former headmistress, Natasha Pitch. We must now investigate the distinct possibility that the leader of our Coven and Watford’s interim headmaster, David Llewellyn, was instrumentally involved in bringing about her death.”

There are gasps all throughout the room. 

“This is a very serious accusation, indeed. But what is the evidence? And who is making this accusation?”

I know that the “who” I’m about to reveal will be met with skepticism. “This information was given to me by Fiona Pitch.”

There are several groans that pass around the room. “Of course the Pitches are saying something like that. They’ve been suggesting it for years.”

“I have the evidence with me, for your consideration. Please pass this contract around the room without fingers,” I say, tapping my wand on the table and motioning toward the paper so that it floats away from me to the first Coven member on my right. She puts on her reading glasses before studying it and passing it on, with a wave of her wand.

The room is silent, but there’s no denying the validity of this contract Fiona has found. It’s real, it has the headmaster’s magickal trace all over it, and it is dripping with the most disgusting dark magic and bad intentions that a detractor of the Mage could hope to find. 

Most damning, it specifically mentions the date of the nursery attack.

Once everyone has been able to examine it to their satisfaction, I take it back. I return the contract to my satchel.

“This sequence of events is also corroborated by a witness... the vampire Nicodemus Petty.”

“A very sketchy character.”

“Yes, but fortunately we are not left to depend on his testimony alone. The existence of this contract speaks for itself.”

“Have you summoned the Mage, Mitali?”

“Yes. I intend to ask him about these events under compulsion of truth. And if I do not like his answers I am prepared to act.” I look at all of them grimly. “Are you?”

They look at each other warily. No one wants a big scene...a dramatic showdown. But this... this contract with the vampires.

It can’t be born.

Finally, Henderson speaks. “You have my confidence, Mitali.”

“And mine.”

“And mine.”

Then a heavy sigh from Vicks. “Do what needs to be done.”

The Mage:

When I arrive at Mitali’s office with my men, I find that the entire Coven has been summoned.

This is outrageous, but not surprising.

It doesn’t look like Simon’s here, yet.

I summoned him with a bird about an hour ago. I will need his vast stores of power on standby if Mitali attempts a coup. He sent back a reply that he would come, but where is he? No matter. We can start without him. He’ll be here. He always works to obey me.

Mitali Bunce’s face looks serene as she waits behind her desk...the bitch. She’s only about five feet tall but acts like she holds all of the cards (she needs a good set-down). I march down the corridor toward her, but she holds up her hand. “Stop,” she says, firmly. “Only you may enter. Your men will wait outside the door.”

“My men go everywhere with me.”

“There is a ward on this room and they may not enter. Come inside, Headmaster.”

If there’s a ward then it will be physically impossible for them to step through the door. I give a little sneer as I step forward, cooly. I make sure to leave the door open. If needed my men will be nearby to hear my orders.

And the ward won’t keep the Sword of Mages out, once Simon gets here.

We will not go down without a fight.

Simon:

I’m a nervous wreck. The Mage summoned me an hour ago, but Baz is making me sit here and watch a movie with him.

I’ve never purposely disobeyed the Mage before.

I know he’s not who I thought he was-- he’s a monster. But it’s still hard to keep away and not at least see what happens when the Mage faces the Coven. He used me and he killed my mother, Baz’s mother...if we don’t stop him he’ll kill Ebb, too. He has to be stopped.

“You’re not watching the movie, are you, Simon?” Baz asks softly, holding my hand.

“I can’t,” I admit, groaning. “What do you think’s happening?”

“I don’t know. I just know it’ll be alright.”

“Oh really? And how do you know that?” I ask, seriously.

Baz smiles at me. “Because we have each other. And because Ebb, Fiona, and Mitali are all working to help us. And who does the Mage have?”

I swallow. I can’t help it; I feel guilty. Before, the answer would have been “me.”

He always had me. His heir. Me and my desire to please him, to fight, to do better. 

And now he’s going to be left hanging.

He left me hanging, though. In care, all those summers. He left me as I got lice and black eyes and suffered from malnutrition. I heard nothing but swear words all day, so that’s how I talked. I became chavvy and insecure. He left me abandoned in care when I could have had a father and a mum and a grandmother. In so many ways he took my life from me.

I know all that. But it doesn’t make this easier.

Baz seems to understand. I wouldn’t blame him for getting frustrated with me for not being able to shake these last vestiges of loyalty for this man who killed our mothers. But instead Baz is looking at me. He squeezes my hand and I squeeze back. It feels good to know that he’s here, that he is my family. 

I never forgot that. But so much has happened, my mind constantly goes back to bad thoughts, bad memories. And now that I know who the Mage really is to me, my whole childhood flashes before me and I see it for what it really is. I was never saved and brought to the World of Mages as if it was some great gift. 

I was robbed from the World of Mages, from the family I could have had. 

That’s going to hurt for a long time. However, right now I need something good to tether me to reality. Baz and I are engaged to be married. He is my family. His mad aunt too. It’s a different experience being someone she protects. It didn’t take much. She called me Pitch and just like that I became her burden to carry. 

I didn’t mind much Fiona calling me that. I've noticed she calls Baz a burden too. She doesn’t mean it and somehow that made it all better and made me not feel like a burden at all for once. 

One day Baz and I will have Ty — our son. I couldn’t have hoped for a better miracle. I dreamt as a child growing up in the care homes that my father was a famous footballer and that one day my parents would come back for me and I’d have a real family.

The reality is better because I have Baz in it. He didn’t have to care about me. In fact the whole world told him to hate me...but he didn’t. I lean into him and kiss him now. When Baz sighs into my mouth I pull him towards me as I let myself fall backwards onto the couch. 

“Are you in need of a distraction?” he asks, his eyes a bit worried.

“I am in need of you,” I say and chase his lips, pulling him closer.

He’s climbing over the top of me so that his knees are on either side of my hips. He’s leaning down and kissing me softly by the ear.

I make a sound that’s embarrassingly like a growl. “Merlin, Baz.”

“Have I told you today how much I love you?”

“I don’t think you have, and that’s probably the whole problem, right there.”

“Well, I love you. And when this is all over I’m going to show you exactly how much.”

“Mmn. Okay,” I say, smiling and purring as he nuzzles into my neck.

But then we hear the water shut off. Ty is done with his shower.

“Better get off me, Baz. We’ve traumatized the boy enough, as it is.”

Baz sighs but kisses me lightly on the tip of my nose. “Later,” he promises.

Mitali:

Confronted with the sight of his contract with the vampires, the Mage knows he’s caught. Oh, he tries to deny it…tries to suggest this is all some kind of trick in my own play for power. But once I start the truth compulsion, and agree to turn it on myself, as well, it becomes evident that there is only one of us who has anything to hide...and it’s not me. 

I cast “The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!” He does his best to evade an honest answer, but he cannot do much to a “yes” or “no” question. Ten minutes of this and his confession comes trickling out.

I’m surprised he’s this easy to pin down. I see him looking back at his men, listening to all of this in the hallway, but none of them will meet his eyes now. He’s damned himself.

He did make one attempt to bully us. He revealed that the Humdrum has opened up a new dead zone just south of Watford. 

“You need me,” he said. “You need me to fight the Humdrum.”

“What have you ever done to fight the Humdrum?” I counter, coldly.

“My heir is the Chosen One. Only he can take the Humdrum down.”

“And where is your heir now?” I ask, looking around dramatically. “He knows you’re here; he knows what’s going on. You can’t control him anymore, Davy. He knows you’re guilty.”

“Simon knows what I want him to know.”

“That’s changed, Davy. He has family now...real family. And protection. Something you never gave him.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. And as a child, he has no obligation to speak to this court. This is about you, and by your own admission you are not the one who will ultimately deal with the Humdrum. If the prophecy is real, it’ll be Simon. But meanwhile that boy is going to be given a chance to grow up.”

The Mage looks furious, but what can he say? I’m right. So with that I move quickly for a vote on whether to charge the Mage with murder. Despite his glowering and sputtering, the votes around the room are unanimous: there will be a trial. I am now within my rights to confiscate his wand. I ask him to hand it over.

He hesitates. It’s all down to this moment...what will he do? He reaches for his wand, as if to hand it to me, before pointing it at me and muttering a spell under his breath. 

But of course I anticipated that, and my protection spells hold. I quickly cast ”The lady’s not for turning!” on him. 

I was only a seventh year when I developed this spell —and it’s still an incredibly useful spell in combat, especially for women. I've felt ashamed that Davy has been using it in his private Offence workshops. It's a poetic justice hitting him with the spell he turned into a weapon. 

That stops him right in his tracks, making him immobile before anyone else has even a chance to react. They are all weak, not expecting a fight from our so-called saviour. He isn't and he never was. Davy created a war with other species so he could rise to power. Is anyone actually trying to kill us or were we so naive we followed lies? 

We have his wand now and he’s left reeling at the enormity of what’s just happened. 

“David Llewellyn,” I say, firmly. “You are dismissed from your position as the Mage — leader of this Coven and as interim headmaster of Watford. You will be bound over for trial and your wand will be kept until such time as a determination can be made on this charge you face.”

Without his wand, and without Simon or the help of his men, Davy is forced to walk back to his apartment under house arrest.

Fiona:

I can’t believe Mitali. She did it. She united the Coven, confronted the Mage, and took his wand from him...all following proper procedure. The Mage was found guilty of Natasha Pitch’s murder, and just as was done with Nico, the Mage’s wand was snapped and he will no longer be allowed a magickal instrument. 

But unlike Nico, who was merely struck from the book, the Mage was punished in a way that’s proportional to his threat to magickal society.

He was banished to another realm.

A mage’s magic will not work once he crosses into another realm. He will live there as a Normal and he will be unable to contact anyone here.

He will be unable to ever return.

But he will still have his life...something he never afforded any of his victims. Natasha died in vain because of a power hungry monster. Who else has perished by David’s hand, directly or indirectly. Who’s to say any of the other enemies are real? The goblins, the vampires, the werewolves? How can we believe them all to be monsters just because he told us that? The ones that attacked the nursery were. But we can’t assume they’re all the same.

After he was gone, the very next day, Mitali called me. She wanted me to come see her.

I went, not sure what to expect, and was absolutely blind-sided by what she had to say. She was selected as the new headmistress of Watford (that part wasn’t surprising). But also she said that the Coven had decided to open itself up to the Old Families again, and they wanted me to be the first new member.

Me.

I’ve never been a team player, but it didn’t take me long to figure out how to play. I let them have me on the Coven a good week before I made my first proposal: let Nicodemus have his name put back into the book again. Give him a magickal instrument once again. Let him return to Watford as a caretaker, staying with Ebb, and let him be a part of magickal society again.

And they voted to do just that. It wasn’t unanimous... Vicks and Henderson are suspicious of any and all vampires, period. But the rest of the Coven took a more progressive view.

Nicky couldn’t believe it. Never in his wildest thoughts did he ever dream of being allowed back into society. But Ebb was ready for her twin to be welcomed back… after all, she’d saved the gilt letters of his name for years. When it came time to re-enter his name in the book, she produced the box of gilt letters and sent them floating across the room to the clerk, who caught them with her wand and pressed them back down onto the paper where they belonged.

As for me, well. It’s been killing me to keep Nicky at arm’s length. But I keep thinking about how Ty has to go back...we can’t keep him here forever. His work is done and he needs to be returned to the future.

But that means Nicky has to die. And I’m finding that I really, really don’t want to accept that.

Nicodemus:

I know what’s going through her head. I thought the same thing too, for a long time.

But then I got my wand back. 

Well, not my original wand. A new one (and truth be told, it works better than the first one did).

This is interesting for several reasons. First, it makes it a hell of a lot easier to hunt rats. Second, it comes in handy for getting that old car of mine to run properly.

But the best part might be of special interest to Fiona.

The wand will help me send Ty back to the future without losing my life. 

The only reason the first time travel spell killed me was because I had no wand. I could open the portal because of my condition as a vampire when I said the incantation. But I couldn’t control the magic because I had no way to control it.

Now I do.

To be honest, I don’t know if that’ll matter to Fiona or not. She’s hard-hearted when she wants to be, and she’s never said a word to give me hope.

It’s just...there’s this twinkle in her eye when she looks at me, that she likes to hide. And just because I’m a vampire now doesn’t mean all my instincts are vampire, if you know what I mean.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fiona and Nico get together. Ty goes back to his timeline in the future.

TPTT, Chapter 14

Fiona:

I finally bring it up, but in the most ridiculous way possible.

“So I was thinking about Ty. And how to return him to his right time without you having to...sacrifice your life.”

Nico’s sitting on the other end of the couch. We’ve taken to watching Netflix together on Friday nights. We’re eating our Chinese carry-out straight from the cartons but using chopsticks, as we drink our Morgan and Coke like we’re twenty years old.

(Merlin I missed nights like this).

Nico doesn’t even turn to look at me as he chews his mouthful of lo mein. “Why bother worrying about my life?”

“I’m not, believe me,” I lie. “It’s just that Ty’s such a sensitive boy, I’d rather not upset him if we can avoid it.”

“Hmmph,” he replies, turning up the volume of our movie a little. Arse.

Annoyed, I grab the remote and turn off the movie (we saw this one a couple of decades ago, and it hasn’t improved any).

“Let’s talk about this.”

“Alright,” he agrees warily, looking at me now (is it my imagination or is there mischief in his eyes?).

“You must know other vampires in London who could do the spell. Maybe a grizzled old vampire who’s ready for his demise? Perhaps we could pay them something or make some kind of deal?”

“You think someone else is going to do what I did for Ty? Impossible. They won’t. Why give up immortality so a teenage magician can go back to his dads?”

“If it’s so impossible, why did you do it?”

“You know why.”

“For Ebb, right?”

“Yes, for Ebb. But also because I didn’t have anything better to live for.”

“Well what about now? Do you still feel that way?” I wonder if he catches the meaning in my voice. I wonder if he can tell I want him to say that it’s not true anymore...that now that we’re...friends, again...everything’s different.

He looks at me softly. But then he looks away and says. “I still don’t have a whole lot to live for.”

“That’s not true and you know it.”

“What do I know?” he asks, turning to face me. “I mean, this is nice...I have a movie mate.” I wince a little as he says it like that. “I used to have more.”

My voice catches when I answer him. “Bastard. You know I can’t take up with someone who’s…who’s…”

“A vampire?”

I’m sniffling as I ignore his interruption to finish my sentence “...who’s going to get himself killed in a time travel spell!”

His eyes are definitely soft now. He scoots over a little on the couch. “If that wasn’t the case, Fiona, if I wasn’t in imminent danger of being killed by a damn spell, would you give me another chance?”

“But we have to send Ty back!” I wail. (Shoot me now; I’ve completely lost my cool).

And then his arms are around me. “Stop it now,” he fusses. “There, there.” He’s kissing my cheek and I’m sobbing.

“This spell is not going to kill me, Fiona. The problem’s already fixed, and you’re the one who fixed it.”

“How?”

“You got me my wand back. I can control the spell now and I don’t need to die.”

I look at him blankly a moment, as it sinks in.

Then I’m pissed.

“So when were you going to mention that little detail to me, hmm?”

“Well,” he said, shrugging, “it never seemed particularly relevant before. Until now.”

“Crowley you’re a bastard,” I mutter, as I move in to kiss him.

******

Ty:

I’m actually a little bit scared.

Today’s the day they’re sending me back to my right time. There’s no reason for me to stay here any longer, and like Aunt Penny points out, staying too long might screw up the timeline.

So I have to go back.

I have to remember...I’m going to be returning to parents who are happier than when I left them. My dad won’t have the memory of Ebb’s death hanging over his head, and the Mage is still alive, too. So in theory my whole family will be happier when I return.

But now that I’ve been here awhile, I’m kind of sorry to leave. I like hanging out with my parents when they’re young at Watford. They don’t nag and worry about me as much. And I get to see Aunt Penny all the time. Not to mention all the junk food I get to eat (Fiona even let me have a glass of wine).

But I don’t know how much time will have passed when I go back, and there’s the possibility that I’ll go back to find I’ve been missing for weeks (Nico and Fiona don’t think that will be the case, but no one knows for sure).

I’m glad Nico doesn’t have to die to send me back. It kind of freaks me out that he and Fiona are actively dating again. I wasn’t expecting that.

“Ty,” Abba’s saying. I look at him, and his eyes look red. Has he been crying? 

“Abba, what’s this? Are you sad?”

“I know it’s silly, and that of course you need to go back, but I’m going to miss you...at least until you’re born. Until I have you again.”

Dad put his arm around Abba and smiles sadly at us both. He doesn’t say anything; apparently he’s lost his words.

I pull them both into a big hug. “This was the best. I’m so glad I did it. I’m so glad you let me help you guys. I love you so much.”

“I know. We love you too, Ty. But stay in your right time when you get back. No more risky trips back into the past. We’ll take care of this timeline from here on.”

I nod. “I hope the two of you aren’t super-mad when I return. I mean the older version of you. The one capable of grounding me.”

“Maybe I could write myself a note that I’ll discover in the future,” Dad jokes. “One that says ‘give the poor kid a break.’”

It almost sounds like a good idea, but then we all laugh. And hug again. And say goodbye.

Then I’m walking over to Nicodemus. He clears his throat and says, “Right, then.”

And he begins the incantation.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter! ❤️ (Sniff).

TPTT, Chapter 15

Baz:

After the Mage was put under house arrest, classes were cancelled for three weeks, so everything could be sorted. It isn’t every day that a school discovers its headmaster murdered the headmistress before him. 

By now everybody has heard about David Llewellyn’s spectacular fall from power, and while Fiona’s managed to keep the dark magic used during Simon’s birth a secret, it came out that Simon was the Mage’s son, so of course this incident will taint him. I don't know how people will treat him. On one side The Mage was responsible for the vampire attack at Watford nursery, but on the other Simon himself was left at a Normal orphanage by the former Mage and neglected for years. Also he is his own person, who turned against the Mage when the truth came out.

I’m not sure to what extent any of them will hold Simon responsible for David’s actions. I’m not sure if there will be some kind of inquiry into the killings of “dark creatures” that David had Simon carry out. I really hope they see Simon was misled, just as we all were. 

If they don’t, I'm sure I am capable of snapping in half any person who would try to put the blame on Simon and I’m not sure Simon will like that. I can also just punch them a few times. Simon is not above punches. (I know that first hand.)

However, I also don’t want people to pity Simon. I’m very sure he would not like that. I myself don't pity him. I feel bad for him — outraged on his behalf. I feel as if I could have killed David with my bare hands I both would and should. But I don't pity Simon. I feel compassion towards him. The same way he feels for me about what happened to my mother. 

I know he’s not well. Not really. The trauma is less than it would have been if Ty hadn’t come back in time and helped us prevent Ebb’s death. And there would have been additional trauma if The Mage died under his hands. But what’s happened is enough to have left its wounds on him. He’s struggling. But it helps when I hold his hand or wrap my arms around him. 

Thinking about the future especially helps him. I think maybe it gives him hope that by having a child he gets to be the kind of father to Ty he never had himself. As if he can undo whatever happened to him by being a good father himself. And he will. Simon will be the best father, alongside me. 

Because I will be solving my own issues as well. I grew up without a mother and with a heartbroken father…

I think Fiona feels guilty she wasn't there enough for me after my father remarried. Right now I think she is trying to make it right by taking a little too much care of Simon. And it is too much. She is trying too much. It's also nice in a certain way. Simon undoubtedly needs that — a parent that is not Bunce. 

Fiona is an actual adult for better or for worse. She isn't used to acting like one. However, she somehow manages that, being a parent. I think she is doing it both for me and Simon. 

We are now on our way to the dining hall for supper. Everybody is going to stare. But one of my many gifts is looking vaguely threatening and condescending. I have perfected that look over the years.

Nobody can sneer the way I can. I am prepared to do just that. It is my second nature after all.

Today of all days I am truly happy for my long legs. Those three extra inches on Simon makes it very easy for me to swing my arm around his shoulder. He looks up at me and smiles. I give him a soft kiss on the lips. Simon leans into me and wraps his arms around my neck and deepens the kiss. Crowley, his lips make me forget everything I’m thinking. 

Bunce arrives and breaks us up. The staff is going to announce our engagement. That's what I was thinking about, right.

"Ready, love?" I ask.

"I guess. People are going to stare at me," he says and he is so nervous, too nervous.

"No, what people will do is they are going to stare at us. Because no couple has a right to look so mysterious and better looking than anyone else. No offence, Bunce."

Bunce looks at me and rolls her eyes, "None taken. There is not even a competition on that part. You finally managed to beat me at something, Basil." She smirks because she is assuming that I won’t be graduating top of my class now that Simon and I are engaged. 

”Tough luck, Bunce. I’m still beating you for top of the year,” I declare calmly and wink at her.

Simon is laughing a little. It makes my heart ache, of happiness and sorrow. I place another soft kiss, tighten my grip on his shoulder and cast "Open sesame". 

I can practically hear Bunce's eyes roll and her unspoken "overly dramatic much Basilton". I just smirk at her. She huffs in response. Well, I'll be damned to hell twice over. I really got Bunce as an actual best friend in my engagement to Simon, didn’t I? 

In fact, it’s so terminal that we are having unspoken conversations with each other.

We get into the dining hall and all eyes are on us. It should be obvious by the way I am holding Simon that we are together. A few love bites scattered on his neck just barely hiding under the collar of his button up (that we forgot to spell away) should clear up any confusion anyone might have. 

I was right, of course — people are staring. I sneer, as if to dare anyone to say something. People don't like me but they sure as hell are afraid of me. Nobody thinks I am a vampire but they know how good I am with fire magic and spells in general. 

Besides, in this particular situation, I would just probably go for brute force and punch someone exceedingly hard instead. I am more than strong enough for that. In fact, I would need to concentrate in order to not break their bones. 

By the time I am done sneering most people have turned away. Not sure if I am happy or disappointed. Happy of course, I do not want there to be a scene for Simon's sake. And that is ironic because if push came to shove I would be making a terrifying scene for his sake. 

We sit down at Simon's usual place. Dev and Niall are waiting for us there. I have called them both and told the "good news" as I phrased it. I informed them that they had two choices. Get on board or get as far away from me as they possibly can so I won't be able to break their necks for even looking at Simon the wrong way. They chose option number one, good men. 

I nod to the two of them.

"Dev, Niall."

They nod back.

"Basil, Sn... Simon, Penny."

Well, this is definitely awkward. Bunce being ever so perceptive moves to sit next to Dev and Niall and starts up a conversation with them.

I’m sitting next to Simon, my arm still tight around his shoulder. I can see that he is nervous. I take his hand with my free one and lean in to whisper in his ear.

"I was hoping to punch someone — no such luck."

Simon laughs. I love that laugh.

"I’m sure you'll find someone to punch, eventually," he says through a chuckle.

He laughs again then and I kiss his temple.

"You have the most wonderful laugh I ever heard. I love it when you laugh-- when I make you laugh. It does things to me." I whisper in his ear so soft that only he can hear.

Simon blushes. Then he leans so close to my ear, his lips are brushing against it and says:

"Everything you do does things to me."

I fed earlier tonight so the blush is spreading like wildfire through my cheeks and tips of my ears. Simon always knows what to say. He may not be good with words on certain topics but not when it comes to this.

I whisper back. "I love you, Simon."

He whispers, "I love you too, Baz," and gives me a peck on the lips. 

That is when we notice the three annoying faces across the table.

"Seriously, you two. This is a dining hall, not a winter ball," Penelope complains.

"Technically Penny, the Winter ball was held here," I declare. "And since we didn't get to have fun during any Winter balls, this is a perfect opportunity. Don't you think?"

Bunce looks exasperated. I have learned that she does not actually mean that.

"Really, Basil? Blaming your PDA on the years apart? Is this going to become a thing?"

I raise my brow as her.

"If the shoe fits," I say.

Then she turns to Dev and Niall.

"This is what I have been dealing with the whole weekend."

Niall looks at us then back at Penny, "They act like we are not even here."

Bunce snorts, "Act? Half the time, these two idiots forget anyone else actually exists. Mostly I am just white noise to them."

Niall laughs and Dev asks in disbelief, "You are being serious aren’t you?"

Bunce is laughing very loud at this point.

"Oh, yes. They forget where they are at any given moment or that they are not alone. But you'll get used to it fairly quickly. Just make sure to bring a book or a mobile with you, if you ever hang out with them on your own. However, it is better to just bring a friend."

Niall snorts. And then looks back at us for some kind of protest. I just raise an eyebrow at him.

"You aren't kidding, are you?" he turns to Bunce who just keeps laughing.

"Nope. I mean they might grace you with some attention at some point but not too often."

Simon is finally paying attention to them.

"Penny, that's not true. You’re my best friend and I love you. I always notice you and pay attention to you. And we watched a movie together yesterday," he complains. That might have been a mistake.

"Simon, I love you too. But you and Baz were snogging through half the movie."

"We were?” he asks surprised. ”No, I don't think it was that long."

Bunce rolls her eyes at him, "Great snakes, Simon. Why do you think I didn't want to watch the second one?"

Simon looks confused, "You said you were tired."

Bunce raises her eyebrow at that.

"I was tired watching the two of you snogging and not being able to discuss the movie with anyone." Then she turns to Dev and Niall. "Maybe you two want to watch a movie with us tonight?"

Niall looks over at Dev who nods.

"Sure. Is it going to be a movie with a side dish of snogging?" he smirks, the arse. 

But it's undoubtedly progress. They were my only two friends for almost eight years. I'm glad I can keep them.

Furthermore, I think maybe it’s good for Bunce to have someone to talk to when Simon and I are well... otherwise occupied. 

Because she is not wrong, we do tend to snog more often than not. "It's all the years of sexual tension, Bunce. We try to interact with the world. We try to pay attention to other things. It's just beyond our control." I said to her yesterday. She said that the “no control” part is the only thing she agrees with me on.

I just raise my eyebrow at Dev. ”Of course, there will be snogging.”

There is always snogging when Simon and I are a concern. I still can't believe that, but it doesn't make it less true.

Penny continues on her tirade.

"Did you know I instated a quota as to how much Simon was allowed to talk about Basil per day?"

"You didn’t?" Dev exclaims in disbelief. He is finally engaging in this conversation.

"I did otherwise Simon would talk about Basil nonstop. He was interested in two topics — Baz and sour cherry scones. In that order. Which makes me feel like a bloody numpty because nothing ever topped sour cherry scones in Simon's mind. This was the biggest clue and I somehow missed it."

Dev snorts at that but then gets a very serious look.

"I think we should have noticed something too. Did you know that the chair Baz always sat in during the meals gave him a perfect view of Simon's back? He would sit and sneer at him. And then tell us how stupid Simon looked, especially his eyes. And I mean really, his eyes? Should have figured that something was up."

Penny just laughs. "I have been calling them morons, but we are the morons here, aren't we?"

"Seems so," Dev answers. He and Niall are laughing now. This seems to be working out surprisingly well. And I am really glad about that.

I don't want Penny to feel lonely. And I really don't want her to have to turn to Wellbelove for company. I loathe that girl. She never appreciated Simon. She almost cheated on him with me. That still makes my stomach turn. I don't think Bunce likes her that much anyway. Dev and Niall are actually pretty good company. This could all work out.

I retaliate by raising my eyebrow and planting a little kiss on Simon's temple.

"Are you kissing me to punish them, Baz?"

"Maybe. Do you have a problem with that?"

Simon laughs and leans in to whisper very softly in my ear.

"No. Not really. As long as you are kissing me I don't have a problem with anything at all."

"Duly noted. I’m never going to stop kissing you," I whisper back and let my lips linger a little too long on Simon's ear. I feel him feel it, there is a shiver running through his body and it sends a shiver right back down my own body. 

Aleister Crowley. I am living a charmed life.

Bunce and the lads are talking about something. Seems they decided to ignore us right back. I really don't mind that. I actually welcome that.

Simon is having a good day. It is not really a good day but I have noticed that kissing him or touching him in general grounds him and makes him happy. I feel the same way. It's a win-win. I could kiss Simon until my last breath. Which is exactly what I’m planning on doing. 

When Miss Possibelf makes the announcement I hear a glass breaking. I turn slightly to see who it was. Wellbelove, go figures. She is leaving the dining hall. I pay her no attention.

We did come out to her first, not about the engagement but us being together. Well, Simon came out to her. I was just sitting next to him holding his hand and glaring daggers at Wellbelove. If she did not know that I didn't like her before, she sure knew after that conversation. 

I don't want her friendship. I don't think Bunce needs her and neither does Simon, he is better off without her in his life. She never appreciated him and always complained about him dragging her along on his adventures. I would have done anything to be included on an adventure with Simon.

In any case, Simon has not shown any signs of wanting her to sit with us so I don't have to care. I am secretly glad. I want to tell her something like "I've got him now; he chose me, not you." I’m not going to do that, because I am not that childish. But I still want to.

People are staring openly. It is very unusual for someone to get engaged at our age. 

I tighten my grip on Simon and kiss his cheek. I want to do more than that, but that is probably not very appropriate to do, when a member of school staff is speaking.

Miss Possibelf is talking about our spell. Nobody knows that we can share magic. We decided that kind of knowledge is better kept within the family. They just assumed I have a lot of magic and found a very strong spell. And in a way I did. I cast a spell with Simon's magic. We created 3 stars. And afterwards Simon said "Our future is in the stars" and the names of our family with magic. 

With this spell we have insured that future, we have insured our family and our children. 

We don’t know if there will be more children. With the way our lives seem now, that is a possibility. That future is something we can choose later on. It's not set in stone or stars. This one is though — Ty. 

We do know that we can never tell that to anyone. Instead I told Simon that 3 is appropriate for other reasons as well. Simon and I and our love. He liked that a lot. 

Miss Possibelf asked us about the number of stars. What it represents. And I'll be damned if I am going to miss this opportunity to let everyone know.

I get up, still holding Simon's hand and tell our story, the version we can share.

Miss Possibelf becomes teary-eyed. Many people actually clap their hands. 

I gracefully say my thank you's and sit back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story. 
> 
> I mentioned in the beginning that I had a co-writer. 
> 
> Sharing_a_room_with_an_open_fire was instrumental to the writing of this. She came up with the initial concept: time travel achieved through necromancy. A boy named Ty.
> 
> She wrote some of the key scenes: Simon “going off” and this last scene in the cafeteria.
> 
> Then circumstances came up and more of the story writing fell to me. I tried to tie all her ideas in a plausible and entertaining way. I made stuff up, and she would let me— as long as I didn’t deviate from canon.
> 
> She explained many points of canon to me along the way. Also she talked about the characters in great detail, and from that I was able to construct (what I think are) convincing relationships.
> 
> I enjoyed the experience of having a co-writer... it was my first time. I would like to take on another big project like this someday, if anyone is interested. You can find me on Tumblr as thefrustratedlibrarian.


End file.
